Achor

Josh White moves away the pop/rock dynamics of his band Telecast in favor of folk simplicity on his well-realized solo debut Achor. In this set of small-scale yet intense tunes, the singer/songwriter draws upon his role as pastor at Portland, Oregon’s Door of Hope church to create a sense of communal worship and shared joy. White connects with Biblical themes and language in visceral ways, making his lyrics seem both timeless and deeply personal. He animates his words with well-sculpted melodies and sparse, graceful arrangements. Much of Achor has a contemplative, almost solemn tone — tracks like “This Better Part” and “You Amazed Me” are carried by quietly elegant acoustic guitars and strings. The fervent, ragged-edged “Holy Ghost Revival” and the primal, Appalachian-accented “Let Me See Your Hands” raise the intensity level of the album considerably. White is a singer of husky expressiveness, aided at times by the honeyed background vocals of Catherine Feeny. When his congregation joins in on “Awake,” the effect is like stumbling into a Spirit-filled midnight service.