Well, Justin Hulsey can write. I don’t mean the melody, though that’s difficult as well. I mean a narrative that translates to an auditory experience. His Spotify bio says he is an avid reader, and that is not only visible in the profound lyricism, but also in how the song has been delivered. This is his album, A Play at Voices.
The texture of tone
Let’s start with some basic play with words, homophones for a title. With Violence & Violins, Justin ties members to a dramatic display that is controlled expertly by him. The sound is very Thom Yorke & Atoms for Peace inspired, with syncopated instruments layering behind and sometimes above his voice. The dynamism is important to pay attention to, it might get lost while you’re tuned into another frequency. The cameo by violins only emphasizes what is a very interesting opening track.
Suddenly Sunshine has the ominous nature of a song that speaks like your conscience. Though heavily depending on the simple chords on the acoustic and Hulsey’s voice, the lyrics is what is important in this little segment. Like he says, Suddenly Sunshine is just an idea in my mind. The abject figment of the conscious mind singing this makes it a richer, deeper experience in terms of the executed song.
Opening with a solid 90s alt/emo rock beat, Proof is as the name suggests, vouches for the boundaries that Hulsey is prepared to push to. The Jonny Greenwood style guitar “electrocuted” sound is heard throughout the track, with a magnetic chorus. Once again, the charming lyrics say You can be my proof to life, lived through another’s memory. Poignant and simple.
Merging narratives & experiences
A question, but more of a statement. Are You Ok To Drive makes a splash in your pool of senses with a more ambient nature to a beat, creating what can be a vortex of sound with signature ingenuity. Hulsey’s voice smoothly drifts into a tighter beat for this song, with simple reverberating piano for the selected soundscape. He adds sound effects with verses, complex yet a simple observation into the social decisions our species takes.
The most popular single Justin Hulsey has released, Castle in the Air has a very Elbow feel to it. Simple with open chords that ring out, barely any distortion. Classic beat to keep it together, and his voice guides you to a mystical world that might be otherworldly. By the time we reach the chorus, the mild distortion seems to have kicked in, but nuanced and softly-keeping it a highlight for that part of the song. The simple licks he plays tend to stick at the back of your head for an eternity.
At the Bound’ry is the OK Computer style track you would expect, with heavy phasing and effects that are experimental, yet fun to try. Risk factor-0, as the melody is rock solid for some instrumental display before Justin enters. He’s at a threshold and narrates his thoughts to us, with crafty lyrics and rich metaphors. There is great word association with melody here, linked carefully and in virtuosic vibrancy, a display of sorts. One of my favorite tracks.
Changing delivery styles
The unpredictable nature by sound of this track makes it an exciting one. Floral is a mélange of different sounds in the same scale, with each making its own landing in Hulsey’s planet of composition. Strange riff delivery, and approach of each instrument makes it a fun track to listen to repeatedly. He really holds on to the value of parts-making each chord worth playing.
Tonight I’m A Tourist is the penultimate track to this album. Like Sting’s Englishman in New York, this too is an outsiders view of someone’s inside. A place that belongs to many, but not yet to one. With no memories or experiences in this new land, this song observes a city with enchanting simplicity and yet is a commentary of the composition of our urban landscape.
Closing with Breathe (we know the value of an opening/closing track called that), Hulsey closes his ambitious album with pride and hope-of an experience and a drama. A drama that he has penned to the beat or the nature of the craft, the musicality and what feeling can be depicted perfectly with what style. Which is what he does, in the minimalism of Breathe. Preparing a score with bare minimums yet worked out to the note, Justin Hulsey is the kind of artist we need pushing the mediocre boundaries of the otherwise flattened craft of writing music-lyrics and songs. Paul Simon & McCartney along with Harrison is just name dropping, the real artist begins with a bit of art that bares all. Which is what Justin Hulsey does with silent precision. Artful work at its best.
Listen to his rich, experimental album here:
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Discovered via http://musosoup.com
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Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
