John Carroll Kirby's new album Blowout was written on a recent stay in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. Between 5am wake-up calls from oropendola birds and psychedelic sunsets, he wrote Blowout, inspired by the local people, music and nature. Though its songs are joyful, that joyfulness is tinged with melancholy. Kirby says, “Blowout is about enjoying yourself even though life is tough, before the candle blows out.”
"There is something about John Carroll Kirby that is hard to dislike. Firstly, he’s prolific. Since signing to Stones Throw in 2022, he has released six albums. What’s even more impressive is the consistency of quality. Each one is top-notch. No filler, but it doesn’t go over old ground. Secondly, Kirby has one of the best ears for melody working in music today. They’re all killer and can easily get lodged in your head. On his new album ‘Blowout’ he just unloads melody, after melody, after melody.
After a trip to Costa Rica, for his travelogue series ‘Kirby’s Gold’, playing with local musicians, JCK created music inspired by the trip. This isn’t a calypso album, but it also is calypso. If calypso had subtle electronic glitches, beats and blips as well as flutes and steel drums. Imagine Hermeto Pascual being produced by Flying Lotus and you’re on the right lines."
| A1 | Oropendola |
| A2 | Mates |
| A3 | The Takedown |
| B1 | Hotel Jonny Chingas |
| B2 | Vertigo |
| B3 | So So So |
| C1 | Sun Go Down |
| C2 | Gecko Sound |
| C3 | Flying Cat |
| D1 | Mates (Dub) |
| D2 | So So So (Dub) |
| D3 | Hotel Jonny Chingas (Dub) |
