Johnny Delaware (SUSTO) – Para Llevar
Johnny Delaware, founding member of the folk rock band SUSTO who now resides in Mexico, is releasing an album of his own this week via New West’s Normaltown Records: Para Llevar. “Para Llevar” translates into English as “take away” or “carry out” or “to go.” The idea is, you are in motion. “This is a very nomadic album,” says Johnny Delaware. “I recorded it in studios in Mexico and the United States and in hotel rooms all across Latin America, and if you listen closely, you can hear bits and pieces of all those places and the people I met along the way. They’re all a part of me now.”
“Jungle Full of Ghosts” starts with a shaker groove and compelling guitar: “the voices you’re hearing, they call out but they don’t know your name.” It’s about loneliness and grappling with things by yourself in an immensely authentic way: “I ain’t afraid to get lost down a back road. I aint afraid of the hard way or to be alone. I ain’t afraid to go through a jungle full of ghosts.”
“Running” taps into the uncomfortable truth that is almost too relatable: “Laying down in the Mexico sun / Sucking limes till the morning comes I’m bumming / Got a lover treating me right / Who every night’s holding me tight / Still I’m running.” It takes a lot to deal with yourself and stop running.
“Sad Song” is an easy tempo and nostalgic poetry, delving into the sad song we carry within: “I’m the one who can burn the bridge for fun / Yeah i’m the son that can marry the thought of someone / Throw the keys in the lake / Watch em’ shimmer down to the bottom / You know time is fake / But you can’t wait around for someone / Never had to search for a sad song / They always came out like I had one.”
“Stubborn Faith” addresses that sinking feeling that happens pretty much every day. You know the one, when you wake up feeling find, and then “And I / Then I fade / I fade into the morning news.” This song embodies the crush of the contemporary narrative and chatter, and punctuations of trumpet and pedal steel. Nice mix.
“Darkness” is a consideration of when it’s time to shed the darkness that can sometimes feel like a comfort, initially at least: “Darkness / Get out the way now darkness / Initially I loved your touch / But deeper down you’re hurting me / Darkness / Move out the way now darkness / Something don’t feel so right / It’s time to bring you to the light.”
Delaware has traveled widely and lived in a variety of spaces and places. This album taps into the core human security that regardless of where we travel and where we alight, we still must look for the good and focus on getting right within ourselves, to find true happiness. It’s deep and quality poetic songwriting. Para Llevar is all about internal struggle and the meaning of human existence.
Find more information here on his website: https://johnnydelaware.com
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Interview: Susto and the Search for Double Rainbows
Everything on the album was played by Johnny Delaware except drums on “Running” and “Sad Song” by Wolfgang Ryan Zimmerman; drums on “You Alone ( are the revolution )” and “Darkness” by Julius DeAngelis; drums on “Caution Darlin’” by Hector Rodríguez; finger picked acoustic guitar on “Darkness” by Corey Campbell; pedal steel on “Darkness” by Josh Kaler; pedal steel on “Stubborn Faith” by Cannon Rogers; flute on “Running” by Clay White; violin on “Mexico City Blues” by Fernando Ramírez; trumpets on “Running” and “Stubborn Faith” by Clay White; backing vocals on “Jungle Full of Ghosts” by Andrea Franz; and backing vocals on “Stubborn Faith” and “Caution Darlin’” by Alejandra Moreno.
All songs and lyrics were written by Johnny Delaware and Para Llevar was produced by Johnny; recorded by Diego Cruzaley at Lucerna Records in Mexico City; with additional recording by Wolfgang Ryan Zimmerman at The Space in Charleston, SC; Corey Campbell at Camp Coco in Charleston, SC; Charles Medina at Chimychanga Studio, Mexico City; and Patrick Doherty at Racquet Recording in Athens, GA.