Following on from the single of the same name, Benjamin Andrews kicks off the final quarter of 2020 with an album of originals designed to shine light amidst the difficulties of life.
Country
What Smith does is redirect our understanding, and call out to those who are older and have experienced more of life and the world, to let them know they are seen, and they matter – more than ever before.
Wonderful syncopated guitar riffs and piano work introduce Burning Bridges, a zesty and confident piece of modern country, which rattles along at a fair old pace with some terrific vocals from Bree Taylor.
Chris Ising’s return this summer brings a brilliant reminder of the passionate, soulful sound he brings to contemporary country music.
Long time favorite Damian Sage emerges this summer with a beautiful piano ballad – the delicacy of the keys contrasting gorgeously with the natural rasp and emotional grit of his voice.
The subtle quirk of that off-kilter twang, the marching rhythm, the contemporary references, the rise and fall dynamic of the verse lines – everything plays its part and resolves in a brilliantly comforting way
There are enough disparate rhythms, unexpected melodic developments and snatched moments of character that help set Dream Catcher apart from a lot of its rivals. It feels authentic and McMillan sells it well.
It’s accomplished and doesn’t require close examination, it’s all about the atmosphere and Believe It has it in spades. Timeless, distracting, lovely.
In songwriting terms, this reads like a ‘how-to’ example. It’s instant, energetic, feels organic and effortless and is topped off with some cracking vocals. Brilliant fun.
All in all, a fun romp through an unusual lyrical idea that tells a clear narrative with plenty of pop hooks.
In recent years there have been only a handful of artists who’ve written in this sort of dramatic, passionate acoustic fashion. For the most part, it’s a style of music reserved for powerful & important storytelling.
Dustin Chapman’s voice bursts through the acoustic set-up with absolute emotion and soul, proving an immediately appealing highlight of his sound, and effectively drawing you in closer for a better listen.