Nightfall by Loren Connors

Loren Connors, now 75, remains an unstoppable force of creative expression. As his vast catalog of recordings continues to be reissued, and his visual art finds new audiences, he still moves forward—improvising in real time, forging his own path through a spectral, mutated form of the blues.

Nightfall is one of two new 10-inch records out now on Family Vineyard, and is among his most haunting. Dark and meditative, the music breathes in hushed tones, its melodies emerging from the shadows with Connors’ quiet, unshakable intensity. At times droning and immersive, at others achingly melodic, it carries a sense of time stretched and suspended—another chapter in Connors’ singular, ever-evolving sound world.

Connors music continues to be a world unto itself: delicate yet raw, evoking the ghosts of early American blues while dissolving into an ethereal, near-impressionistic haze. Connors’ guitar whispers, bends, and sighs, carving out space in a way that feels both ancient and entirely of the moment. His spontaneous compositions possess an emotional gravity that transcends technicality, drawing listeners into an intimate, dreamlike state.

Nightfall’s counterpart—Spitfire, another 10” out now, is the opposite—restless and alive with electricity.

Loren Connors has improvised and composed original guitar music for over four decades. His music embraces the aesthetics of blues, Irish airs, blues-based rock and other genres while letting go of rigid forms. Connors, who names abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko as his most important influence, also creates evocative print work that arise from the aesthetics of his music.

lorenconnors.net