Jonah Kagen - “Pollution”
Photo by David O'Donohue
As he prepares for a Fall tour, Savannah, Georgia’s Jonah Kagen has just released the acoustically-driven sounds of a new single: “Pollution.”
The song begins with the graceful and confident strums from an acoustic guitar, pleasantly highlighted by the soft and gentle keys of a piano. Straight out of the gate, it does not take any time at all to know that “Pollution” is going to be an emotionally-charged performance, especially when combined with our previous experience in listening to Kagen’s work.
Still, as much as one might already be familiar with his music, Kagen’s voice never ceases to amaze and inspire. He possesses such a raw and honest talent that it is nearly impossible for us not to feature every song he’s ever written. This fact holds true in “Pollution,” and as he embarks upon his lyrical journey, listeners are left in awe at the way he delicately places each and every syllable.
As the track progresses, Kagen explores his upper register, elevating the arrangement without the need to add additional instruments. The strums from the guitar become more deliberate and the chords from the piano ring out in a drone that pads the entire soundscape. All of this adds a sense of emotional urgency to the performance, as Kagen declares, longingly: “I want you back… I want you back… I want you back…”
By midpoint, careful listeners will catch a glimpse of a subtle string arrangement, softly churning in the distance as it foreshadows the impending crescendo. An additional vocal layer is added, expanding the soundscape to a heavenly proportion before hitting us with a deep kick drum, like thunder rolling in the distance. And with that, “Pollution” causes us to yearn for the pieces of ourselves left behind on the path toward adulthood.
About the song, Kagen shares: “’Pollution’ is about nostalgia, but more specifically, it’s about the desperate craving to get back to a time of simplicity and innocence… I think there’s something especially heartbreaking about losing your innocence as you grow up, and it’s something that I think about every day.”
-HD