Nothing Is Wrong
by: Dawes
(ATO Records)
The California-based group Dawes includes Taylor Goldsmith (vocals/guitars), Griffin Goldsmith (vocals/drums), Wylie Webber (bass) and Alex Casnoff (guitar). Jonathan Wilson produced the band's latest studio album Nothing Is Wrong. Nothing Is Wrong follows the band's 2009 debut release North Hills. Dawes recently collaborated with Jonathan Wilson, Jackson Browne and Robbie Robertson. Dawes is on tour now...
"Time Spent in Los Angeles" kicks off the record. A musical scent of Tom Petty lingers, but when you hear the lines "You got that special kind of sadness/You got that tragic sailor charm/That only comes from time spent in Los Angeles/Makes me want to wrap you in my arms", you know there's pure originality here.
"If I Wanted Someone" contains gritty guitar hooks that evoke a musical trail of Crazy Horse. The mostly-acoustic "My Way Back Home" features great harmonies, and a reflective musical ambience. "Coming Back to A Man" demonstrates this group's ability to craft a fine song. This tune contains a great line that says, "Some people are just meant to be a memory..."
"So Well", a slow and moody song, contains elements of The Band. The dry, sparse sound, harmonizing and Goldsmith's lyrical phrasing evoke an emotive result. "How Far We've Come" serves as another testimony to the band's songwriting vision. This song almost leans on the pop side. Heartbreak is a theme of this collection of songs.
Delicate acoustic interplay weaves through "Moon In The Water", and Goldsmith's lyrics make one listen closer. "Million Dollar Bill" stands as one of the album's diamond songs. It pays for the price of the CD. The piano ballad "Little Bit of Everything" ends the record in a grand fashion. The story in the song says it all. It almost sounds like Jackson Browne for a moment, but the future for Dawes is bright, original and unlimited. No, Nothing Is Wrong here...
James Calemine
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