Robert Jordan is a gentleman songwriter whose quirky, oddball sound is always exciting, carrying a sense of experienced balance in his songs. Vincent and Theo is the title of Jordan’s second full-length album. Let’s explore what it has to offer.
Based in Boulder, Colorado, Robert Jordan is a singer and songwriter who started his journey a little later in life. Vincent and Theo displays what Jordan does best in ways that show him in the best guise there is. With songwriting that carries numerous cues from a few timeless classic acts, such as Pink Floyd and The Doors, to name a few, Vincent and Theo is an album that feels at once unique and familiar. An easy and delightful listen.
Among the album’s outstanding songs is the starter ‘Over for Good’. With an anthemic and jubilant chorus that counters the melancholy in the verse, and a blaring rotary organ that defines the vintage atmosphere of the song, the song features an interesting duality that is heightened by the driving beat and the general sense of the occasion from this exciting kick-off to the album. The second song is a genuinely nice song about how having invisible friends can affect the lives of the different, interesting characters that Jordan introduces throughout the song. A cut that showcases Jordan’s lyrical abilities while having an easygoing arrangement and a cutesy composition. An immediate winner.
The short, slide guitar instrumental interlude ‘Sky’ is a beautiful and left-field moment of respite between the album’s first and second halves, before the touching ode of ‘Too Beautiful for Words’ hit with its gentle strums and landmark composition. A minimal and interesting stunner. ‘Song for Bob’ was explored in a previous article. This exciting song showcases Jordan’s guitar chops with its smart and dynamic structure and arrangement, utilizing vocal harmonies, a rich string section, and a shapeshifting groove. One of the album’s best-written songs. ‘In Heaven’ is a whimsical and ethereal stunner about a relationship that is not meant to be. With a straightforwardness to the beat and to the vocals and words that mirror songs by The Doors, ‘In Heaven’ is one of the album’s more outstanding songs that leave a lasting impression. A song that’s energetic in the most graceful and balanced way, displaying the exceptional experience that Robert Jordan is bringing to the table with his matured songwriting sense.
The album’s title song is an arresting composition about the story of Theo and Vincent Van Gogh. Using fiddles and violins and colorful chords to paint a vivid, rural image, this minimal storytelling song showcases a fantastic songwriter who paints with bold strokes, not limiting himself to a particular sound, style, or genre, Robert Jordan arranges and writes music that serve the lyrics and paint sceneries. Robert Jordan’s second full-length album is an exceedingly warm and enjoyable listen with a multitude of styles and colors running throughout the songs. With rich production and lush arrangements, Jordan is proving that starting at a later age does not need to have an effect on the quality of the music.
