The more fear that is stoked about the rise of soulless, A.I. music, the more the world seems to embrace artists who exhibit great songwriting talent and musicianship. It’s why artists like Jonah Kagen have gone from playing 30 minute opening slots solo to being able to sell-out two nights at Los Angeles’ famed venue The Troubadour with a band in tow. With an RIAA gold single now under his belt, the artist returned to L.A. with humorous stage banter, songs that brimmed with real emotion, and eye-popping jams that called to mind the days of classic rock n’ roll.
I was excited that opening the show was Anna Graves, a young songwriter who I’ve been following for a few years now. Coming on stage in bare feet and a bandana around her head, she evoked vibes of the famed Laurel Canyon scene of yesteryear. And like many of those artists, she showed off a stunning voice to match her gorgeous, at times haunting songs. Joined on stage by a steel guitarist she connected with just days before, Graves recounted failed situationships in tracks like “Granted”, and told the audience about her previous attempts at pop stardom in L.A. that brought her back to her home in Minnesota, and restarted her songwriting journey.
“Burn On” is a melodic gem that matched the encouraging messages in Graves’ stories. Her two bird-influenced tracks “Hollow Bones” and “Bluebird” used metaphors of flight and migration to speak to Graves’ own homecoming. The artist has a humble presence on stage, but her songs are truly captivating (especially in an intimate space like The Troubadour). My only disappointment with her set was that she didn’t close with our #5 Songs of 2023 “In the Wild”. C’moooon Anna! haha.
Kagen and his band come down at 9pm, with Kagen rocking a Descendents vintage t-shirt and blue jeans adorned with pink floral designs. The band went into their “happy songs,” the more rollicking “Simon,” “The Reaper” and “Candy Land.” Kagen joked in between songs about his tendency towards sad or angry songs (even when musically the tracks sounded upbeat). This charming sense of humor went a long way towards making Kagen feel less like a music star and more like a friend performing on stage. Whether it was with claiming he would be making jokes about our moms (but not his – his is a saint), or regaling the audience with stories about his own mishaps with past stage banter and responses to audience call-outs.
Of course, in between his stories about the failed relationship that inspired many of his songs, there were the songs. Where things really began to pop was with the dark “Matches”. It’s not just that it’s a dark, heavier track with some great lyrical hooks – it’s that it was the first time during the show where Kagen revealed he wasn’t just a great songwriter – the man can shred (and on an acoustic no less). Kagen ripped into a solo, which evolved into a full-band jam that took the song to the nearly 6 minute mark (watch the video at the top of the page), and damn was it good. I’m not someone who generally gets excited for instrumental jams, but Kagen and his crew kept it interesting and incendiary.
The focus returned to songwriting and stories as Kagen sat down and played the melancholy “Black Lung” and “Anvil”. Watching the audience during these songs, I could see so many people quietly mouthing the words to themselves. These songs are very personal, and not necessarily “sing along” songs that you shout at the top of your lungs. They are intimate and private, carrying different meanings to each person there. The pinnacle of these songs was “The Roads”, a lovely folk rock track (recently soundtracking an episode of Shrinking).
What’s helped Kagen move beyond the “singer songwriter” and “Americana” labels is the bluesy grit that he infuses in his tracks, adding a rock edge to newer numbers like “Talking About Jesus”, or the evenings main ‘call and response’ moment with “Save My Soul”. He ended with his #1 alternative radio hit, the gold-selling “God Needs the Devil”, which kicks with a bit more stomp than holler.
For his encore, Kagen returned to play the mellower title track from his album Sunflowers and Leather, and then the excellent, Sam Barber co-write “Burn Me”. This one is a very catchy number that can inspire sing-alongs, and deserves to be a future hit.
With a new album in the works and possibly coming later this year, Kagen’s star is going to continue to rise, and hopefully Anna Graves‘ won’t be far behind. These are the kinds of artists that remind you that being a successful musician in this modern age requires more than just a decent singing voice. You can’t manufacture soulful songwriting, skilled musicianship, and endearing stage presence. These are things developed through practice, training, and putting in the hours on the road. It’s why A.I. music will never replace the real thing.
Catch Jonah Kagen on tour, and check out his music here.
The Indy Review 