Joho – Numbness Is Exhausting

Joho – Numbness Is Exhausting – Album Review

Well whaddya know…for a second there at the start, I thought Joho was going to trip on into a cover from the 90s and start to “Set Adrift All Memory Bliss” for a moment, but it turns out he ends up dialing back the clock even further to include a piece of “Sukiyaki” in the opening track “Because,” which traces all the way back to 1961 in Japan’s music scene.  If you’re unfamiliar with “Sukiyaki” by name, trust me, you’ve heard it…from Snoop Dogg to Bone Thugs, Mary J. to Selena – it’s a timeless classic that will pretty much instantly enhance anything for the better.  So too is the case here with “Because” by Joho.  For the record, he already had my attention with his confident execution and stepping out with his best foot forward as “Because” kicked things off, but the inclusion of some “Sukiyaki” in the mix kept on raising the stakes as I listened.  I dunno…some samples just flex smart crossover ideas, you know?  Joho has always been a master of the art of crossover craft, and whether that’s come through his flexible front-man style of being able to sing as well as he can drop bars, or the fact that he’s been willing to explore an impressive range of sounds and styles throughout the years, this dude loves to be innovative and I’m sure his dedicated fans out there enjoy how he’s always up to something unpredictable & new.  “Because” has an instantly enticing vibe to it…real smooth…the kind of song that will definitely have you wanting to hear what comes next, while being laidback enough to not feel like it’s forcing you to listen.

I like that he continues to flex real creativity in his compositions.  Listen to the amount of detail in the background of a song like “Sometimes.1” for example – most bands/artists don’t even have that level of attention to the stuff happening right up front, let alone what’s happening in the distance, you feel me?  It’s moves like that that continually make the difference though.  It’s what separates those that can do things in music, from those that sincerely WANT to do things in music like Joho, where they keep challenging themselves to level-up or do things differently from how they’ve done them in the past.  We have always been massive Joho supporters here at sleepingbagstudios – I think there’s only one record he’s made that we didn’t cover…2019’s Damn, Must Be The Shoes… – other than that, we’ve been riding on the guy’s bandwagon pretty much from the first moment we started listening.  I mean…were we wrong to feel how we did?  If you could see how quickly people come and go in the independent music scene like we do, you’d know that Joho’s solid eight year reign as an artist thriving in the community is seriously impressive.  “Sometimes.1” starts out decently, and keeps on getting better as it plays on, but its most notable achievement is really in how the production brings together so many layers at once without feeling like it’s overstuffed at all.  Personally, I really like hearing dedicated attention to detail like Joho shows us here.  Material-wise, it’s a decent tune, but the moves he makes earns it extra credit.

When you are willing to TRY new things, of course there are always going to be varied results – but from my perspective, you win in the long run, because you’re opening doors for the future ahead, and there’s a real fearlessness that comes along with being willing to explore space that others wouldn’t dare.  Just because a track like “Amore” will have you feeling like you might have ended up on the motherfuckin’ LOVE BOAT for a moment doesn’t mean Joho shouldn’t still be commended for trying something new.  Did it work out this time around?  I’m gonna leave it up to you to be the ultimate judge and jury on that.  In my opinion, what I was just ranting about as a major strength in his music with the layers of sound he put into “Sometimes.1” is essentially the same thing that might hold him back on this following track in “Amore” – I’m not nearly as convinced that all the layers he’s added to this one interact with half of the fluidity they’d need to succeed.  At points, it feels like “Amore” comes out muddled if I’m being honest with ya…and I think I’m going to pinpoint the bass as the main culprit here…part of me feels like that’s the one specific layer too many, and that without it, this song would likely have the space it really needs.  For my own personal taste, I don’t think taking out the bass would have made the complete and total difference, but I do think it would have done a lot for the clarity of this cut overall.  As it stands currently – I mean hey, if you love it, then that’s all that matters right?  For myself personally, I come back to what I was saying at the start – I think it’s vitally important artists try new things, and pass or fail, I respect it.

While it’s definitely fair to say that I like what I’m hearing on “Sometimes.2,” I think it’s pretty much just as fair as to say I’m a little worried for the direction of Numbness Is Exhausting.  I’ll put it to you this way – there are certain themes that you can explore almost too accurately in life, whether it’s intentional or not.  Right now, I’m hearing four tracks at the start of the record, where the closest thing we’ve found to containing the kind of inspired spark that would bring people back is in the very first song…and even that is arguably not really at the level we know that Joho is capable of, or has demonstrated in the past.  So that’s what I’m saying…calling his new album Numbness Is Exhausting might actually be much more confessional than he’s realized, and by track four, we have to wonder if we’re hearing an artist that is merely doing his best to keep his creativity up, even when the excitement and inspiration he needs isn’t there like it has been in the past.  Instead, we end up with what feels more like a series of deep cuts, as opposed to the flashier and catchier tracks we’ve heard from Joho in his earlier work.  “Sometimes.2” is a quality listen, and I’m not disputing that – but I am saying it becomes much more difficult to argue that this track possesses the kinds of audible reasons to return he’s been synonymous with his entire career.  It’s one thing to “feel very sad” or to feel like Numbness Is Exhausting – it’s another to pass that feeling onto others though…as I listened to Joho’s album this week, I’d usually feel a bit restless by track four.

Was I expecting to find a little or a LOT more energy on a track called “If You’re Alright (Dancin’)?”  YES!  Yes I was.  It’s rare to find a track that refers to dancing without some kind of upbeat energy to go along with it, but in keeping with the whole Numbness Is Exhausting theme, Joho’s kept the oxygen away so that this doesn’t end up catching fire…at least with respect to its pace and tempo and whatnot.  I think there are other wins to be found here that are potentially more significant.  First and foremost, I absolutely loved the way he chose to sing this song…like, he’s taking a HUGE chance with the stylistic performance he puts in, but this is what I’ve been talking about all along – risks like this are worth the rewards for sure.  When you’re confident in what you do, even in situations as unique as this are, YOU get to dictate what’s cool to the listeners, rather than have them judge things the other way around.  You take back a crucial element of control, that ends up being irresistible to the audience.  There’s no doubt that a track like “If You’re Alright (Dancin’)” might be a little jarring to some tuning in at first, but that’s perfectly alright…this is the kind of performance that gets more people onboard with every spin.  I also think he’s got a series of brilliant hooks that extend from verse to chorus in this cut as well.  When I took my first spins through “If You’re Alright (Dancin’)” I was fairly convinced his chorus couldn’t rival how attached I was to the way he sings the verses, but I feel like by the time I went to write this review, both parts were fairly equal in my mind.  All-in-all, I just think it’s smart songwriting with even better execution.  For Joho to know that this song was going to work out & that it was worth pursuing to begin with speaks volumes on behalf of how he’s able to do & hear things in music that the rest simply can’t.

Length works out for the man on this record, with its longest cut “Come See About Me” standing a very good chance of stealing the show for the masses tuning in.  At the very least, shout-out to the mid-point of this record, where it really starts to shine its brightest.  I felt like “If You’re Alright (Dancin’)” was a significant achievement to begin with, but hearing that track featured back-to-back with “Come See About Me” was a genuine treat.  I’m not necessarily saying that it’s loaded up with the kind of dazzling, upbeat energy we’ve heard in many Joho tunes in his past catalog, because that’s not the case – but what I will confirm, is that the inspired spark you wanna hear is EVERYWHERE you turn your head as you listen to “Come See About Me,” and that’s equally alluring to listeners in the long run.  “Come See About Me” is MEMORABLE y’all…and of all qualities you want your music to be described as, that’s gotta be up there with the best of’em, if not the pinnacle of all, right?  You don’t always need an upbeat vibe or fast-paced tempo to create a memorable song, and this is essentially proof of that.  “Come See About Me” does have a little more life in its veins with respect to how it moves and such, but really, the success of a song like this comes straight down to the strengths of the material & the performance that comes with it.  I would definitely put this song up there with the best & most complete tracks I’ve heard from Joho, not just on this particular album, but in any corner of his catalog to-date.  From the single-worthy sound it has, to the brilliant focus he displays in putting the emotion into this track, this is a significant WIN for the music he makes AND the way that he makes it – “Come See About Me” is as bulletproof as it comes.

Tough to come after such a noticeable highlight of course, but I’d reckon that “It’s Your Fault” manages to hold its own pretty damn well really.  I like the fuzz in the guitar he’s using…I like the clarity in the other instrumentation he’s using surrounding it…the lyrics and the material overall is super strong, and the backing vocals do wonders to enhance the whole vibe & hooks of this song.  I’m feeling more than inclined to declare that his hot streak continues throughout the mid-section of this record as a result of what he’s got cookin’ on “It’s Your Fault.”  It’s an impressively minimalist tune that ends up producing maximum results if you ask me.  I mean, the main thing you’re going to remember from the music side of this scenario is that wonderfully fuzzy guitar, but there are key elements added along with it.  The vocals are mixed pretty plainly and straightforward, which not only sounds like one of Joho’s better performances, but he’s got excellent stuff surrounding him in the backing vocals as well.  Basically, “It’s Your Fault” has more of a minimalist appearance than what is actually involved in making it, though I suppose it’s probably still fair to say there’s a little less included into this track by comparison to many of the rest on Numbness Is Exhausting.  Any way you choose to slice it though, his melody is on-point here, his performance is exceptional, and the material is super strong…you can’t really ask for more than that.

To be truthful, I really dig how it feels like Joho flipped the switch on this record…it’s practically a concept album when you think about it.  Over those first four cuts, it’s almost like we end up concerned for guy…like the numbness has been so exhausting that it was threatening to take him over.  As the set expanded and blossomed, it’s like we were witnessing the rebellion…the idea that he’d had enough of being exhausted, and chose another path instead.  Which in turn has led to some genuinely engaging & deep material that works brilliantly.  Even in the case of “Valentine,” which pretty much gets its whole playbook from the track that occurred right before it, somehow Joho comes out with another significant win and doesn’t even feel like he’s ripping himself off with the two songs sharing so much DNA in the way they’re built & designed.  “Valentine” has this stellar mix of steady & hypnotic melody, combined with a fantastically colorful finale that’s filled with solos and supreme sound every which way you turn your head…to the point where like, if you were handing out awards for how the end of a song sounded, you’d be lookin’ at “Valentine” for sure.  It’s another all-around great tune for Joho to add to his catalog.

As solid and stellar as the man can be, I’m always gonna be the dude telling him that he’s still got even more in the tank.  As I listened to “Pocket Holy Priest,” I felt like I was immediately listening to another good song from Joho…and hey man, it’s always going to be hard to complain about favorable results and I’m not inclined to really start now – but…I do think it’s noticeable when Joho’s good and when he’s great – simple as that really.  From my perspective, in my opinion, he’s still got room to explore and find those hooks we can’t ignore.  He’s got the most solid foundation of just about any artist working in the scene today when it comes right down to it – Joho could sneeze a good song, that’s the reality.  There’s never anything you can knock against consistency, and this man embodies that whole characteristic when it comes right down to it – but…I do still want to encourage him to take that next leap into making material we can’t doing anything other than assess as memorable.  I’ll listen to a song like “Pocket Holy Priest” any day of the week and I’d be happy to do it…but I’m likely going to forget it by title in the long run, and lump it in with all the other really good tunes Joho has made throughout the years.  It’s never an easy task to make highly memorable & timeless material, but we’ve already seen & heard evidence that proves he’s more than capable.  So yes – I like “Pocket Holy Priest,” but two things can be true at the same time.  As much as I like this song, I still know that Joho’s got a whole other level that he can shift into seemingly at any time, and I’m always going to push him in that direction.  That being said, the vast majority of artists & bands out there would be more than happy to have written a song like “Pocket Holy Priest” once in their entire career…Joho has so many songs in him that you have to be amazed at how natural his connection to music really is, while at the same time, we have to make sure we’re shaking him up just a little so that he’s not just settling for the good when he’s destined for greatness.

With an assist from bel2014 to sing “Iron Giant” for the finale of Numbness Is Exhausting, I feel like Joho made a brilliantly clever move at the end of his new record by switching things up like that.  I think if you’re really listening to the composition and how he’s created the last four tunes on this record, you’ll find a lot of similarities at their core, especially that minimalist aspect where he’s really leaning into a simple guitar line.  Don’t get it twisted, he’s getting the maximum effect out of it, and I more than appreciate that, even if I’m always going to be the guy that tells you to keep an ear on that stuff too, so that you can always prioritize diversity & avoid the risk of repeating yourself.  Joho always seems to manage to steer clear of any real danger because he knows that just because the music might come out with a more simple design doesn’t mean you can’t still do really great things with the vocals & melodies on top of it all, which he proves once again with bel2014 in singing “Iron Giant.”  Side note…but a related one…Joho has an inherent knack for making this guy right here typing all these words feel as old as he really is.  It’s all good…he keeps me humble.  He’s written about stuff like Harry Potter in the past…the movie Sky High…and this here “Iron Giant” – all references to films and entertainment from a generation much younger than mine.  All said and done, it’s pretty much always been like that…but the reality is, Joho is one of the very few that I’ve always had confidence in leading the next generation forward – and I genuinely think that he has.  Whether it’s through another amazing song he’s written, or the mere fact that he’s still out there on his way UP even after all this time…Joho never lets anyone down with what he creates.  I’m not saying he’s any more immune from the peaks and valleys that hit every artist & band throughout the course of a career – but I am saying that his consistency, passion, and desire put him head and shoulders above the rest.  Do I love what I’m hearing in “Iron Giant” at the end of Numbness Is Exhausting?  You bet I do.  Not only do I think the song is excellent to begin with, but I think Joho introduces us to an incredible singer in bel2014, and deserves a ton of credit for sharing the spotlight with her at the end of his new album.  What a voice she’s got though!  A perfect complement to each other on the mic, “Iron Giant” is a highlight example of strengths stacked on top of other strengths…and for as subtle as it is, it’s the kind of conclusive finale this record really benefits from.  If you’re looking for that undeniably memorable moment, “Iron Giant” is what it sounds like – Joho absolutely saved the very best for last on this album.  I’m more than happy with Numbness Is Exhausting overall though, and feel like the main star of the show really pulled this one off by the end.  I might have wanted a bit more from its beginning, but you can feel Joho gaining traction & getting stronger with each track as it plays on, and by the time you reach that halfway mark, he’s cruising to a whole string of audible victories.  “Iron Giant” is really something special though…it’s a powerfully moving collaboration that works flawlessly from start to finish, and definitely has me wanting to hear more collaborative creations from these two.

Find more music from Joho at Spotify here:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Kqti993MKMucvQDQDHYhv

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