Religion plays a complicated role on JP Oldfield’s Saltwater Gospel, out now via Now Listen. Churches, scripture and prayer appear throughout the EP, but faith does not necessarily lead its central character towards doing the right thing.
The Ferryman begins with a personal loss: the death of his wife. As his story develops, he becomes determined to punish those he considers guilty. Rather than questioning his own decisions, he turns to religion to justify them.
“The Preacher’s Noose” brings this conflict into focus. The Ferryman looks to God for guidance, yet his actions become increasingly violent. The song raises a question about the use of religious belief to excuse behaviour that would otherwise be condemned.
Oldfield develops the idea further in “Further from Heaven”. An angel arrives with a warning, but people refuse to take it seriously. Their response leads towards the flood that devastates the world around them.
Both songs examine the consequences of refusing to question your own beliefs. The Ferryman is convinced that he knows what justice requires, while those who dismiss the angel are equally unwilling to reconsider their position.
Across Saltwater Gospel, Oldfield draws on blues, folk and Americana to tell a story in which religious authority offers no easy answers. The Ferryman cannot undo his loss by punishing others, and his belief that he can set everything right only makes matters worse.
It is this clash between faith, personal judgement and accountability that makes the EP such a fascinating listen with great replay value.
