James Day Leavitt
Skylark
DayNight Press
James Day Leavitt lets the listener in from the very first note of his new album, Skylark. “Let me fall down again / it’s better than holding me up / the rain comes down hard again / I won’t need my crutch,” he sings. This vulnerability extends to his craft, letting the songs wander where they may, and letting others collaborate on them so as to best serve his art.
Leavitt’s reflective, pensive lyrics are delivered over acoustic guitar and light percussion, while strings, bass, keys, chimes and backing vocals create texture and depth. The sonic space isn’t crowded or cluttered — only what is needed is there. Leavitt credits Dan Capaldi (Sea Level), who produced and played various instruments on the album, with taking each track to its fullest potential. “I can’t say enough about how much Dan put into this record to really serve each song in the best possible way,” Leavitt told The Bollard. Other guest musicians include violinist and vocalist Megan Martelle, keyboard wizard Tyler Quist and electric guitarist Jay Turnure.
“Silence” and “Everything New” feature strings and lean into the softer side of Leavitt’s songwriting. Up-tempo tracks like “The Ease,” and “Contain,” with its electric guitar solo, are more energetic and poppy. The arc and pacing of the record works well.
Leavitt’s lyrics are Skylark’s highlight. He’s an interdisciplinary artist in Portland who also writes poetry and has published five books. You may recognize his voice from WMPG, where he hosts “Music as Words” on Monday nights from 8:30 to 10, an enriching blend of spoken-word poetry and folk, rock, soul and jazz music with lit-worthy lyrics. Words hold particular power for Leavitt, who also told us via e-mail, “my songwriting is an outlet for me to deal with mental health issues (anxiety, depression). Hopefully others can use them to find some solace when they are going through tough personal struggles of their own.”
Skylark and other releases are available on Leavitt’s Bandcamp page and other streaming platforms.
