Channeling a bluesy classic rock composure from Los Angeles-based artist J.S. Mahlon, “Land of the Living” melds sweltering vocal passion with inviting bursts of blaring guitars, saloon-set keys, and warming organs. The project represents the work of Jake Schweitzer, who performs solo and also as a three-piece, alongside East LA musicians Wolf Trap.
The thematic pursuits showcases a darker dose of realism — referencing the “land of the living,” as a point of hopeful return, following “a close friend going down a destructive path.” The riveting track represents the first of a series of singles from Mahlon’s upcoming album Childhood, described as “a surrealist semi-autobiographical retelling of Mahlon’s upbringing in the rural midwest.”
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
