2008 Woodie Awards
'Makers' Rocky Votolato
Play it by Ear
Jordan Kerfeld
Issue date: 2/27/06 Section: Culture
|
I could easily spend my entire review naming solo artists I know offhand. The music industry has been absolutely bombarded with solo acts in the past decade. Usually seven out of 10 promo CDs I receive are by a man or woman slated to be "the next big thing" in a genre that, in my opinion, is already too big for its own good.
That said, I was not enthused to listen to Rocky Votolato's album. However, I respect the Barsuk label (former home of Death Cab for Cutie), so I decided to give it a chance. A one- to two-track scan led to an entire album listen of an impressive and notable singer-songwriter.
Rocky Votolato's "Makers" is mainly folk-acoustic, but that particular style (often considered bland) doesn't do him justice. His lyrics are sharp, and every song breathes with pleasant, interesting melodies. These hum-able tunes are the kind you wouldn't mind having stuck in your skull.
Votolato's voice sounds like an interesting mix of Iron & Wine and Badly Drawn Boy - a perfect complement to laid-back songs about love, loss, and the American whiskey brand which shares the album's name.
Though the CD is sometimes entwined with rural Western themes both musically and lyrically, the nice melodies and abstract lyrics give it mainstream appeal.
Since the 28-year-old father of two was formerly a member of the emo-stigmatized Waxwing, his songs occasionally slip into cliched "emo" concepts lyrically. However, he still finds fresh ways of expressing those ideas, while other artists simply parrot one another.
"She swore out the lights when she said that she was only in it for the rain," Votolato's raspy voice tells us over a plodding guitar on "She Was Only in it For The Rain." "She made of her bed a naive nativity/ just in case it became - just in case/ Here's the first of many songs you wanted me to write/ just for you/ it's as pretty as it is cruel."
Even when his lyrics are weaker on "Wait out the Days," Votolato manages to transform it into an album highlight. Though the lyrics meander with no distinct organization, the song ends up radiating a warmth and familiarity that is difficult to criticize.
Other songs on the album, including 'Tinfoil Hats" and "Tennessee Train Tracks," illustrate the workings of a diverse and talented singer-songwriter.
In an age of singer-songwriter overload, it is a relief to see there are a few artists breathing life into a repetitive musical scene. Though this is his fourth album round, Rocky lands a knockout punch.
jkerfeld@unews.com
