Tonky in Bloomington, MN

Tonky
is
Lonnie Holley
's second collaboration with producer/multi-instrumentalist
Jacknife Lee
, following 2023's
Oh Me Oh My
, which became the esteemed visual artist's most acclaimed recording to date. In general,
covers much of the same lyrical and musical ground as
.
Holley
, 75 years old at the time of the album's release, reflects on his tumultuous life as well as other people's reactions to his art and music, while offering messages of peace and hope, urging the audience to never give up. The set opens with "Seeds," a nine-minute recollection of the trauma and abuse
suffered as a youth, when he did time at the notorious Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children. Though he's endured a lot throughout his life,
doesn't sound bitter or vengeful, and is clearly grateful to be alive. "Protest with Love" sounds like his attempt at a radio-ready R&B song, as he sings a simple message of love and perseverance over a sensuous groove. He sings of making the world a better place and turning nothing into something on "The Burden," and he praises the uplifting powers of music on "Strength of a Song." Still, there are moments of harshness, such as the noisy, industrial textures of the brief "Fear the Machine" and the
billy woods
-featuring "I Looked Over My Shoulder," or the lyrics of "Kings in the Jungle, Slaves in the Field," which describe the destruction of his life's work by slave masters. The album's most moving moment is "Did I Do Enough?," a relatable questioning of self-worth and significance. On "That's Not Art, That's Not Music,"
lists some of the criticisms he's faced for his work, and expresses the alienation and rejection he's felt. Yet despite all this, he has no choice but to remain optimistic and have faith in humanity, and on the concluding "A Change Is Gonna Come," he asks, "What can we do but help each other?" ~ Paul Simpson