Scotty Hills's debut scores with an earthy sophistication that's a throwback to an era decades ago, when real musicianship, melodies and lyrics dominated the AM. To say that his recording sounds dated couldn't be further from the truth, however, as his inspired concoction of blue-eyed soul, country twang and straight-up guitar pop manages to be timeless and quite contemporary at the same time.
Abundant highlights fill this recording like a Christmas stocking. Its title track flashes with bluesy, neo-soul brilliance augmented by soaring guitar licks and the kind of falsetto harmonies that would make D'Angelo proud. Other songs such as "Simone" and "The Beach" showcase Hills's raspy vocals over quiet storm rhythms. The genre juggling that is in full display on the CD is a real treat, yet Wonderland Urgency sounds effortless, as though the respective styles were always meant to be assembled, like pieces of a puzzle. The only urgency here is the need to run to the store and grab a copy of the CD, or even better, see him play his songs live.
Post the first comment: (Login or Register)