Puma Blue – Holy Waters

Two years after “In Praise Of Shadows”, the critically acclaimed debut album by Jacob Allen, better known as Puma Blue, the South Londoner is back with “Holy Waters”. It’s another hopelessly romantic, in parts pretty gloomy, but overall absolutely exciting set of tunes. His whispering vocals lead the charming melody of “Pretty”, a guitar-driven ballad which follows the album opener, the really mesmerizing “Falling Down”. His signature vocal layers are back in full effect on “O, The Blood!”, another haunting and ethereal track which comes with the repetitive plea
“Oh the blood I would give
Just to convince you to stay
Surely I was only written for you”.

There is a certain, dark brooding behind the lyrics of “Hounds” when he sings about a home which burns to the ground. The track is backed by a pretty disturbing sax/guitar/bass surface. The intimacy and sensuality is back for the six minutes of “Too Much, Too Much”. The nocturnal bliss of this particular track is hard to resist. It turns to some sinister distortion in the second half. Darkness continues on the short “Epitaph” and the intoxicating, experimental “Gates (Wait For Me)”. Harsh stuff indeed. For me, he is much more accessible and more persuasive on beautiful pieces like “Dream Of You” which boasts with a wonderful melody and dreamy vocals.

The title track is like a poem. On the album closer “Light Is Gone”, he urges us “don’t let the dark take you whole”, as if it’s a reminder that things will work out fine in the end.

I missed his last show in Berlin but already secured tickets for his upcoming concert in about two weeks. Tour dates below and the record is out on vinyl too.

9/09 Paris – La Maroquinerie
9/10 Tourcoing – Le Grand Mix
9/12 Amsterdam – Bitterzoet
9/13 Brussels – Botanique Orangerie
9/15 Copenhagen – Vega
9/16 Stockholm – Nalen Klubb
9/18 Berlin – Silent Green
9/19 Cologne – Bumann & Sohn
9/20 Hamburg – Reeperbahn Festival
9/25 Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
9/26 Manchester – Canvas
9/27 Bristol – Thekla
9/28 London – Koko Camden
9/30 Dublin – The Button Factory
10/02 Glasgow – King Tuts Wah Wah Hut
10/03 Birmingham – Hare & Hounds
11/02 San Diego – Music Box
11/03 Los Angeles – Echoplex
11/04 San Francisco – Bimbo’s 365 Club
11/06 Portland – Holocene
11/07 Seattle – Madame Lou’s
11/10 St. Paul – Turf Club
11/11 Chicago – The Empty Bottle
11/12 Ferndale – The Magic Bag
11/14 Toronto – The Great Hall
11/15 Montreal – Bar le Ritz
11/17 Cambridge – The Sinclair
11/18 New York – Le Poisson Rouge
11/19 Philadelphia – Underground Arts
11/22 Atlanta – Terminal West