By Kevin Malton, Editor
Where you are residing in the world has a way of completely rewiring a songwriter’s DNA. When the Americana craftsman Jason Lenyer Buchanan packed up his life in Wyoming and headed toward the greener (and more wet!) expanse of Portland, Oregon, he didn’t just change zip codes. He left behind his usual creative outlet - the guitar - and focused instead on piano work. His EP release, 'Lazarus', introduces the listener to three tracks, all piano-lead.
This was no doubt a gamble of sorts. Jason had already carved out a niche in the rootsy-guitar field, however we can confirm that this gamble has paid off. The EP was recorded live at Nashville’s Owl Studio with producer Joel Rousseau and engineer Dan Davis. The result is a collection of songs that overlooks the modern, glossy, over-produced and edited tropes of modern indie releases. You can hear the actual room breathing here; the musicians react in real-time, leaving any beautiful, human imperfections fully intact.
The EP opens with the rhythmic and bright "Somewhere in Between," a track that contains a heavy story about a small-town woman losing her identity to Hollywood glitz and glamour. But it's the title track, "Lazarus," where Jason is at his peak. Written during his aforementioned cross-country move, the song is a fierce critique of institutional church politics and their failure to defend immigrants.
The third and final song here is the intimate "This Old Truck". It is a tribute to a vehicle rebuilt with his late father and carries a rare poignancy. Jason has completely mapped the space between political anger and profound personal grief. Lazarus isn't just an appetizer for his upcoming 2027 full-length album, Somewhere in Between; it’s proof that sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone entirely behind to finally hear your own voice.
Of these songs, the artist states: "...the best songs I've ever written, with the most talented people I've ever made music with." and we can't disagree. The Lazarus EP is a masterclass is storytelling. It is unafraid to be confrontational nor to be sentimental. Listening to these songs you will feel a range of emotions but ultimately left with the realisation that Jason Lenyer Buchanan is a world-class songwriter.
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