Mount Jacinto‘s new album, Silver Lining, released in late November, is a sacred, cinematic, and intimate space painted by tender chamber-rock. Review.
SILVER LINING – MOUNT JACINTO
From the opening notes of Seems Right, the setting of California’s mountains is set. The guitars soar with subtly psychedelic accents, highlighting Sonya Carmona’s vocals, the driving force behind the band and this deeply personal album. Here, the atmosphere is warm but not scorching—like the soft brilliance of the morning sun. This adds to the album’s sense of sanctity, an impression Mount Jacinto clearly seeks to convey with this record, Silver Lining. The second track, after the band’s name, Monte Jacinto, is vibrant and colourful. The Reason leans into more folk-inspired tones, with a bittersweet and dreamlike ambience that also bleeds onto Forest, though the latter is gentler.
It’s clear that Mount Jacinto translates Sonya Carmona’s personal and sometimes painful experiences into music, yet there is also something sacred and radiant about their sound. Even in its darkest moments, there is hope. The song Silver Lining is the most beautiful embodiment of this duality. It marks the album’s turning point, alongside the more pop-infused Turning Back, which gracefully underscores its midpoint. A heart-warming experience thanks to its blend of rock, psyche, chamber music and more!
If I Ever brings in a desert rock flavour with a more pronounced blues tone, thanks to its bold guitars. It’s the most intense track on the album and stands out in its own right. It’s followed by Remember, with its stunning crescendos, and the surprising, tender, and pretty epic Nice Liquor. Once again, it feels like a spiritual journey, oscillating between the intimate and the universal. To close this journey, and the Silver Lining album, Mount Jacinto lays All I Got at our feet. Like the rest of the album, it’s generous, personal, and immense—a perfect conclusion to this outstanding opus.
