An ode to rainier cans, burner phones, expired bus transfers, and a french press shared under northwest skies, 206 is also a courageous and humble narrative about making ‘peace with the past’ and finding strength in times of darkness. Ess Ford is sincere and unequivocal as he recalls the ‘destructive summers’ and ‘sleep-deprived weeks cast aside in the name of good times.’ Such earnest confession-like songwriting coupled with the shimmering guitars on ‘Vicious Moon’ and the infectious groove-based pop sensibility of ‘Tryin 2’ diminish any doubt that Ford is drowning. Instead, here is an artist floating and rising with a voice we should all listen to. While Springsteen finds his solitude driving a stolen car down Eldridge Avenue beyond the boardwalks of Asbury Park, Ford’s compass points northwest to his hometown of Seattle where the city limits stretch out among the floating bridges and evergreens explored with waterlogged shoes where it’s ‘too cold to swim’. The poignant line: ‘i’m out of touch as the dust collects around me’ is a reminder that we can all try to better ourselves and eventually heal ‘with the clearer mind’. 206 is the work of an unsung talent Seattle should be proud of. From Vashon to Alki to Magnuson to Madrona I hope everyone hears this record.