7/10

There’s a certain kind of music that looks to settle firmly in your bones, and New York’s Cornelius Eady Trio latest EP 'The Misery Tree' looks to do just that. Carved from the raw timbers of protest, reflection, and intimacy, this is a project that refuses to look away from the fractured state of the world, and in doing so, offers us a kind of strange solace.

Comprised of longtime collaborators Cornelius Eady (vocals), Charlie Rauh (guitars, bass, percussion), and Lisa Liu (guitars, keys), the trio continue their journey as musical storytellers with work that feels simultaneously timeless and fiercely of-the-moment. Where previous releases simmered with tension and grace, 'The Misery Tree' bursts with hard-earned urgency, a product of seasoned artists who have long known that the personal and political often walk the same tightrope.

Lead track 'Quicksand' toes the line between recitation and melody, adding spoken phrases that tumble like urgent thoughts. The backing arrangement is rich and atmospheric, with keys that pulse like distant sirens and percussion that keeps the tempo taut.

While the opener 'Zombie' veers into a different kind of emotional territory. It’s a howl from the inside out, a cathartic release of the rage many have learned to mute. Rauh’s guitar solo is particularly noteworthy here, emulating a jagged climb up a collapsing tower of blues-rock energy.

Then there's 'Shuck N Jive', a deceptively soft-spoken offering but no less searing. Acoustic in its delivery, it smolders with resentment and clarity, a subtle rebuke to those who cloak manipulation in charm. There’s also power in the restraint, this is the fury that doesn’t raise its voice, because it doesn’t need to.

While the music leans into a mixture of blues, folk, and groove-laced experimentation, it’s the lyrical force that leaves the deepest impact. Eady’s words carry the weight of lived experience. These are verses meant to be heard in full consciousness. They provoke thought without preaching, and challenge without pushing away.

In an age where protest music often gets drowned in noise or reduced to slogans, 'The Misery Tree' dares to be deliberate, offering poetry where others might offer platitudes. While not new to the scene, this new collection feels like a fresh chapter; one rooted in defiance, but blooming with quiet grace.