Richard Scott’s album Dreaming Of You presents listeners with a warm and mellow fusion of jazz, folk and country music. The instrumentation has a very classic feel to it, opening track My Heart Will Keep On Crying in particular. The song gives you a good sense of who the artist is and what the music is all about. It also gives you an idea of his personal songwriting style.
The melodies are strong throughout. The change from the verse to the chorus, the subtle but effective and emotional build ups, and the way in which the music has been composed around this to reflect and reinforce those feelings, all makes for an effective and enjoyable piece of music. Despite the theme of the song being quite clearly one of sadness, the music gives off quite a different energy, so rather than let you sit and wallow in your upset, instead you’re offered an uplifting and friendly bit of audio to help you through it all.
This uplifting ambiance continues and in fact increases as you make your way through Magical Dream, where some classic banjo playing comes about, as do the strings, and the beat has a gentle and joyful nature to it. Pleasantly, the mood progresses even further for the third track I Need You So, with it’s instantly energetic atmosphere and addictively memorable melody line. You begin to notice very early on the strong use of imagery in Richard Scott’s songwriting, and the poetic way in which he reflects upon the world around him. And this is what you get in great supply throughout the Dreaming Of You album, as well as a peaceful and hopeful array of musical expression.
The country twang is consistent within the music, but it’s a subtle part of something much more eclectic. The songs are heartfelt and often have the structure of a classic ballad or folk song. The Keeper Of My Heart is a good example of this. The rhythm makes you move a little, the melody imprints itself in your mind, and the warmth and familiarity of the singer’s voice is an added pleasure at this fairly central point within the album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXzH7ZCcxUA
Amber Ways adds to the variation on the album significantly, the song opens with the sound of music from some distant and sunny land, though still that signature Scott thread is present, and the song is again a moment of serious feeling portrayed by a very lighthearted musical substance. It’s an interesting way to write, and it keeps the sadness from sinking you, in a way; the optimism of the chords and the instruments and the melodies actually encourage you to feel better, which is music doing the very best thing that it can.
Even if you only initially hear one song from it, you can trust the collection in it’s entirety to provide the music that you’re looking for. The style and sense of character is consistently clear, and each melody and concept and lyrical spread is something very focused and confident in it’s expression. The songs reflect genuine emotion alongside a thoroughly pleasant and professional musicality, so it’s an album you can refer back to again and again, and let the music and the lyrics work for you.
What makes the album even more special is the addition of the 50’s / Do-Wap versions of a couple of the songs, The Keeper Of My Heart included. The full force of jazz and joyfulness is highlighted with this bonus recording, and it’s a great way to re-energise as the project comes towards it’s end. The final track, however, is something hugely meaningful and poignant.
Richard Scott’s tribute to 9-11, My World Started Crying, is a crushingly honest and true portrayal of those events. The fusion of spoken word, poetry, and a very dreamlike ambiance, makes for something that really reaches out and grabs you. It makes you listen, and although it’s an event all of us are familiar with and will forever remember, the way in which this track presents the thoughts and the words reflecting it is surprisingly unusual, and quite striking.
Richard Scott is an experienced songwriter who was selected for two nominations at the 46th Grammy Awards – Best Country Song and Best Male Vocalist. His catalogues of music is vast and impressive, and the latest release Dreaming Of You is no exception.
Find and follow Richard Scott on Facebook, Twitter and Soundcloud. Visit his Website for music and info. Click Here to listen to the album in full.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwAlapWi9cs
