Sachal Vasandani – “Best Life Now”
After two brilliant albums on Edition Records, “Midnight Shelter” (2021) and “Still Life” (2022), both with pianist Romain Collin (who also just released his five-paw reviewed “Dust” LP), singer and songwriter Sachal Vasandani has moved on to Patron Saint International for “Best Life Now”, his seventh album. Produced by the great drummer Nate Smith (we reviewed both his albums “Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere” (2017) and “Kinfolk 2: See The Birds” (2021)), and recorded with a top-notch band, the 11 songs on the album (no vinyl yet) are about love lost and found, about letting go, staying strong, struggling, heartbreak, and whathaveyou.
I think the soulful production in tandem with Sachal’s very sensitive songwriting and powerful vocals make this his best album to date. I really dig the drums and guitar arrangement (Charles Altura plays guitar) on the album’s title track. It’s a kind of soul meets folk tune with a positive and strong message. Saxophonist Dayna Stephens can be heard on the backbeat and stylish, yet very catchy “Call Me”. The way Dayna breaks out of the path here adds a certain aplomb and sass. Jon Cowherd on piano and electric piano is astute and smart throughout, especially on the electrifying “Right On Time”, where Sachal gets help from singer Gretchen Parlato. The piece floats and sways and Nate allows so much air and space again with his really intriguing production. “Stay A Little Bit Longer” is another scintillating track; Sachal telling his story in a casual way with electric piano and sax giving enough soulful support.
The handclaps-heavy “Incredible Kindness” with its gritty and raw groove actually sinks in after a few listens. Yet its touchy lyrics move you instantly (“I wish I had another set of lungs just to breathe you in deeper”). And then there is this sort of forlorn hope of finding better things in love and life on “Don’t Give Up On Me”, another genre-defying cut. The only non-original composition on offer, the Bob Haggart/Johnny Burke standard “What’s New”, easily and somewhat dramatically fits in to the collection. Great arrangement again too! “Tyrannosaur” is another teasing love poem (“Even your worst days are better than being alone”), and “Sometimes I Miss”, one of the highlights of the album, is like a soul-stirring slowly brewing stew. There is this languid swagger in the way Nate is working his drums. The combination with electric piano is hard to resist. Sachal tackles more ups and downs in the intricate “Too Easy” where Charles plays another sanguine part, sort of building a counterpoint to the lyrics. And on the album closer “Blame Love”, Sachal talks about the end of a relationship, where he is backed by a wonderfully dragging beat when he sings “We could still be cool after it all/But maybe it’s better if we blame love”. And now the vinyl please!
