The times are forever changing, and so too does the style of music that comes with each passing year.
Philadelphia-born psych-jazz folk musician James Margolis is no outlier to feeling the emotional and social effects of these shifts, providing creatively thoughtful political badinage over alt-indie folk tunes in his new album, Civilianaire, released in August of 2024.
The album explores what it means to exist in this landscape and how community introspection could lead us in a more positive direction. Notable tracks include "Just Different," as it speaks to the larger issues of our social core, cleverly situating each topic for a tender and touching open minded perspective to ring through. As classic folk guitar melodies infuse the tune with a grand sentiment, Margolis's signature deep vocals deliver a nostalgia for a time where we can accept our differences for the better.
Tracks like "Turbulent Times" detail harsh realities between hip hop bars and jazz-infused piano melodies. Coasting percussion mimics both the interconnections and disconnections of human reality, holding a strict and defined beat while letting cymbal crashes flow to fill the soundscape.
Mystically poised psychedelic twang meets curious political poetry in "Tryna Divide Us," a wading groove that comments on the sly social separation caused by political rhetoric and media display. "Divide and conquer / That's their game," Margolis sings with a bluesy rasp. Winding electric guitar riffs sculpt a smooth image of contemplation, complementing the relevant wittiness of his lyricism.
Since leaving Berklee after three semesters in 2009, Margolis has toured extensively both individually and within multiple projects, and also spearheaded community jam sessions, such as The Healing in Brooklyn. He also served as a sound engineer for both his own music and various live acts that have come through various venues, including The Django in NYC.
Trained by legendary Philadelphia guitarist Dennis Sandole (John Coltrane), Margolis's way with strings and songwriting is amicable and infectious, leaving his timely and tasteful modern spin on numerous genres.
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