TRACK REVIEW: J.P. Riggall – Black Tusk

Just over nine months ago, J.P. Riggall released his third solo album, the folk rock Isolation Blues, to critical acclaim – and is now back for more with another album, spearheaded by his new single, Black Tusk.

In some ways stripping back to basics – unostentatious drum lines, indie guitar, passionate vocals, and just a smattering of orchestral arrangements to taste – it’s clearly seen how the new track fits in with Riggall’s description of his new album-to-be: “a collection of stories about loss and adventure”. Although small in instrumentation, Black Tusk commands a natural grandeur, reflective of its namesake, a great mountain in British Columbia. Irregular rhythms towards its end give the song an instinctive feel and flow, and a taste of the album to come.