A bold avant folk album rooted in Jewish tradition offering connection, meaning, and emotional truth in a world stretched thin
Some albums arrive at the exact moment we need them. Ezra Ben Shalom’s Known and Unknown is one of those rare releases. It speaks to anyone carrying grief, trauma, or heavy questions about where life is headed. It also fits the heart of my podcast, Life’s a Blog, where we talk openly about healing, betrayal, and the music that gets us through the dark.
Ben Shalom has lived a long creative life. His name means helper son of peace, and the meaning shows up in the work. He has written, produced, and performed for years. He is a Western Canadian Music Award winner and a JUNO nominee. He has collaborated with Bif Naked and played banjo with Tegan and Sara. Known and Unknown is his first solo album, and the confidence shows. The record is intentional, grounded, and brave.
Lover in a Tower is the album’s centre point. He wrote the first draft on September 11, 2001. He was nineteen. The song sat unfinished for twenty two years. Then October 7, 2023, happened. The melody returned. The song finally completed itself. Anyone who has lived through trauma understands this. Some truths stay quiet until life forces them back to the surface. Some healing takes decades.
His explanation of Kabbalistic wisdom hits hard. Wisdom arrives fast. Understanding takes time. Knowledge changes you. That is the arc of healing. It mirrors therapy. It mirrors betrayal trauma. It mirrors grief. It mirrors the long road back to yourself after your life blows apart.
The sound of the album matches the story. Traditional folk blends with experimental edges. Nothing feels polished for the sake of polish. Co producer Chris Carlson brings a raw, real energy to the tracks. The emotions stay intact. The music feels human and unfiltered.
For my listeners of Life’s a Blog Podcast, this album lands in familiar territory. It understands what it means to hold pain and still move forward. It understands the space between who you were and who you are becoming. It understands the power of one good song on a bad day. Known and Unknown is not just a record. It is a companion.
Ben Shalom releases a new single, Encompassing Place, in early 2026. If this album is the benchmark, he is stepping into a powerful new chapter.
