“Mizuri” by the Boston-based indie group John Lebanon is a spiritually potent song that explores themes of reinvention of one’s self and reflects on faith in a very honest and transparent way.
The track marks the debut of Gaby Carvajal Poisson as a vocalist with the group. Her performance on the song really adds to the vulnerability of the subject matter and adds the right kind of delicacy and nuance to the song. Just what the doctor ordered, as they say. The inception of the song’s idea came from Matt’s conservative upbringing, which comes through strongly with the song’s themes. But the idea evolved with Roy Souaid’s vision, drawing from Japanese manga storytelling, hence the title “Mizuri” which is simply Missouri in Japanese.
Harmonically, there are twinkling piano arpeggios and a super clean guitar part that create a really sentimental mood, and the main melody is very singable and inviting to sing along. The sound overall is really soft and delicate. Even with the soaring chorus hits, it’s not soaring like a predator eagle; it’s more like a graceful seagull migrating to somewhere new. A new beginning in a place where it can reinvent itself.
My favorite excerpt from the lyrics happens to be the band’s favorite as well: “I’ve found this light within me, and it burns the chains that have kept me.” It really sums up the journey of self-discovery that the song is about. That the light of god is actually inside of us, and one needs to look no further than inwards to find true beauty.
John Lebanon’s “Mizuri” is a delicate, mature song that tells a complicated story candidly but also with beautiful precision. And I think we all should be excited for this release on August 22nd, 2025, because they have much more in store for us with a full album release planned later this year.
