A lost and lonely chord progression initiates John Ross' latest work as Challenger on "Year In Review", a song that premieres here this morning. Trading his traditionally bombastic synthesizers for a baby grand, "Year In Review' proves to be a crusher of a different kind, resolving on the lyric, "I never loved you more". The song comes from latest EP, The Confetti Tree, a small teaser of the work the mastermind may have in store in the new year with the anticipated Back to Bellevue sophomore LP. Here, Ross' whispered vocals up the ante, finally removing the words all together in the final movement, the piano singing like George Winston's December in the moments between and beyond the vocals. "Year In Review" leaves space for the listener, a cold season of reflection and retrospective, a holiday EP for people who resent the very idea of holiday EPs.
The EP is out everywhere tomorrow and, for New Yorkers, they play Bowery Electric on January 29.
