Jason Lenyer Buchanan’s Lazarus is a three-song Americana EP about loss, transformation, family and the uneasy possibility of finding something worth holding onto after life has changed shape. Released as Buchanan relocates from Wyoming to Oregon, it also marks a creative shift: after building his catalog around guitar, he turns to piano and Fender Rhodes, with Hammond organ adding warmth and depth. Recorded live at Nashville’s Owl Studio in just a handful of takes, the EP captures musicians responding to one another in real time rather than sanding away every rough edge.
“Somewhere in Between” opens with a catchy, joyful rhythm wrapped in soothing warm strings. Buchanan’s warm voice moves gently and harmoniously through a story about a woman who leaves home, becomes a Hollywood star and gradually loses sight of who she was. The performance remains comforting even as the narrative grows darker, following her from restless youth through fame and finally into motherhood. The recurring idea of being caught between identities gives the song a tender sense of uncertainty, as though the character is still trying to recognize herself.
The title track takes that uncertainty into heavier territory. Buchanan trails each line of “Lazarus” with his warm voice over relaxing music and soft percussion, using the biblical story of resurrection to question whether renewal and justice are still possible in a world marked by suffering and division.
“This Old Truck” brings the EP closest to home. Slow, thumping drums and percussion accompany soft guitar strums while Buchanan sings with a rich, thick voice about the Chevrolet he shared with his father. His vocals soar with passion during the chorus as the warmly churning arrangement turns an aging vehicle into a vessel for memory, family and grief. The truck becomes what remains when houses, health and circumstances change.
At the end of the day, Lazarus feels like three stories told around the same fire, carrying what was lost while still making room for what might survive.
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Review by: Naomi Joan