Are you in a hurry ? That's the kind of thing that uses to happen. If so, you actually absolutely do not need to read this review. Instead of this, you can get your hands on this release right now, legally and for free, straight from the artist, by following this link. Even better, you can even buy there this release on CD in a name your price manner. And I add, you can even find this release on iTunes if you prefer to pay for the download.
This release is open-licensed. You can make copies for your friends, among many other things.
Once upon a time when I was (and the choir says 'Young, naive and handsome'), I downloaded a compilation due to a certain netlabel. I no longer do so, since this particular label, eventually, appeared to me as having a certain lack of discernment when choosing the tracks they feature on their compilations... But sometimes they nevertheless get it right.
So then, I used to download comps from this netlabel. And among my favourites songs in the hundreds of tracks I discovered this way, there is, for sure, Dan Bryk's 'Discount Store' (please note that Dan's official site is currently down. I hope this is temporary). And there is Josh Woodward's 'I'm Not Dreaming'.
'I'm Not Dreaming' is a great song. Subtle and energic, well written, well performed, well recorded, for an overall result that, if it had to be rated, would outnumber the number of stars available.
Then, this morning, I was searching trough my own memory, among the zillions of musician whose art crossed my path over years, to determine what would be the next review on this blog. You know, I use - this may change someday, but this is in a very certain manner for now the case - to review here only masterpieces. Albums that will change your life. Monuments. Or, to use a sentence I use quite often since I started this blog, milestones in history of music.
I've been, after thinking about this for a while (hours, truly), eventually pretty much sure that Mr Woodward's 'Breadcrumbs' fall into this category. Because, I downloaded it. Right now, it is playing once again on my stereo. And this album is, ahem, to sum up, the kind of album you definitively shouldn't sleep on.
Sure, there's 'I'm Not Dreaming'. My opinion about this song is not much varying over time. Or if it varies, it would be in the 'I like it more and more' sense. Because this song is the kind of song that could make you wake up in the middle of the night in order to listen to it once more.
But there's also the other tracks on this album... And, they are great. Simply. A really good point for this release is that, as of per usual in his musical career, JW can speak just almost any musical language with a constant talent. By this, I mean, his approach involves touching to many styles, and I'm pretty much sure that even if someday he decided to record a polka-zouk-punk track, it would be done in a second-to-none manner.
You know I like lofi, experimental, strange stuff. But this album is not exactly that kind of material. It is much more like a perfect renew of the classic rock albums that you may have enjoyed over years. In the meanwhile, it is, also, innovative. And the load of emotion that was put into it is far, far beyond the usual standards.
This album has the ability to become one of their favourite ones to so many people, for so many reason, that I wonder why you are still reading this instead of downloading it right now.
When I first listened to the first par of 'Grey Snow' final, I thought, Hey, this man is among the ones who count. We are not talking about yet another person hoping to 'make it'. We are talking about an artist who, in my opinion, has the highest idea of what living on this earth should imply. JW decided to build a better world with a guitar, a bass, a drum kit and sometimes a banjo. And he is doing it. I cannot tell for sure that he will success in his quest, but, contrary to too many people, JW tries ! He is not simply reading music cookbooks, but is inventing, creating, involving himself in his art, and, you know, I like musicians who actually want something instead of simply having a hobby.
A thing I noticed about this album is that, while it is, for sure, American from the head down to the toes, I also located inside of it a slight and very pleasant European touch (think of The Jam if you know them).
What would I have to say to sum up ? "Thank You". Yeah, JW should definitively be thanked a million time for releasing 'Breadcrumbs'. I must confess that - that's the price of this extraordinary diversity in the styles used - I don't like just any song as much as some other ones, but, when I tell you I thought about the idea of reviewing it for hours, I am serious, and all I can say is that this is a consciously taken decision that lead me to write this review. This albums definitively deserves to be featured among these gems I talk about here.
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