Jonah Kagen – Sunflowers and Leather

Review

Jonah Kagen’s "Sunflowers and Leather" gleams like a carefully crafted necklace—each track a polished bead threaded with sincerity and rhythm. Over sixteen songs and fifty-three minutes, he weaves stories of identity, resilience, and love with the grace of a seasoned craftsman. His voice, rich yet unpretentious, moves between aching vulnerability and gentle optimism, while his guitar work—delicate but deliberate—grounds the whole album in earthy warmth. There’s a sense of refinement in the production, a subtle sheen that complements his Georgia roots without dulling the raw emotional shimmer underneath.

From the quiet ache of "When My Ashes Turn White" to the openhearted storytelling in "Candy Land" and "Krissy," Kagen balances introspection with narrative flair. The title track, "Sunflowers and Leather," carries both tenderness and grit—like soft fabric reinforced by strong stitching. You can hear the echoes of artists such as Townes Van Zandt and Jason Isbell in his phrasing and structure, yet the sound remains undeniably modern, spacious, and inviting. This debut full-length captures a young artist stepping into his own light—steady-handed, passionate, and ready to leave a mark beyond the shimmer of social media fame. - Jade