I found another song to warm me in the winter. I’m pleasantly mesmerized by this folk-acoustic track entitled Corpus Christi Bay by Austin-based singer-songwriter Ronjo V (Ryan Jospeh). I so enjoy the soft layers of acoustic guitar, the gentle piano chording that fills the spaces with muted sound, and the relaxed, rhythmic touches on the snare drum. The intricate expressions of the finger-plucked guitar are captivating, yet undemanding somehow. I feel welcomed into a cozy space, somewhere I’d like to sit for a while and look out the window. Maybe over Corpus Christi Bay.
The vocals and lyrics melt into the instrumentation. Joseph’s vocal style feels genuine and human as he offers a narrative-style lyric in deep, subdued tones. The lyrics are so simple. So human. So filled with the tension of disappointment and hope, a tension we all hold if we move through life with any sort of honesty.
It sure feels like hell today, on the Corpus Christi Bay. I hope the wind blows me away. I rolled the dice but had no luck. I got so drunk I wrecked my truck. Ask me if I give a *uck. A million ways to burn a buck.
The finger-plucked guitar adds to the sense of intimacy, vulnerability, and humanness. I can almost feel the strings on his fingers. But somehow in this song, I feel consoled about the experience of life as a human. It’s hard and bleak and lonely, and it’s filled with moments of beauty and surprise. Ronjo V has captured the experience in Corpus Christi Bay, like a message in a bottle.
Ronjo V’s newest release (December 27, 2021) is Short on Love, another worthwhile listen. Corpus Christi Bay was released on December 10, 2021.
