This demo from Nottingham based singer songwriter Sam Hutchinson
showcases a gifted musician with a great voice, but
is more than a little lacking in invention.
The guy has a strong, aching voice with
an impressive range (as demonstrated in the final
minute of second track "Autumn"), and doesn't
hit a duff note once. His guitar playing is a consistently
solid foundation for his songs, but sadly his songs
just don't do
justice to his talents.
If you've got a voice that good, the odds are
that in a live setting you're going to impress
whatever the material. If your audience is fond of
the heartfelt, ponderous style of bands like Embrace
or Coldplay, that you peddle, then all the better.
But on record, you stand or fall on the strength
of your songwriting.
The three main tracks of this EP ("For A While", "
Autumn" and "Brave Face") are so downbeat
and maudlin that you're itching for a bit of
melodic flair or lyrical prowess. Both of these are
largely absent. Over simple chord structures that
barely change for the duration of the songs, Sam
does little more than convey the idea that sometimes
he gets a bit sad,
by singing about it in a very traditional manner.
From singer songwriters, you want more than a good
voice and a nicely strummed A-minor7. You need the
kind of bittersweet wit of Elliott Smith or Badly
Drawn Boy, or the pastoral elegance of Nick Drake,
or the heavy wisdom of Bob Dylan. You need to compose
melodies that have never been heard before, and articulate
your miseries and woes...
Next
d |
|
