SIMON STANLEY WARD
2015 - Sizzle Records
This is the first full album by a hugely talented young British singer songwriter whose debut album is a mix of honky tonk, country and rock 'n' roll that is quite literally a 21st century update of these styles. Had I not known he was British I would have felt that he was born and bred in an American backwater unsullied by modern country pop! His sound should certainly be popular but we get the best of both worlds because there is always an edginess to this excellent recording.
Simon has a very high, unusual and distinctive vocal style that often sounds like he is straining but given a chance that unusual sound really grows on the listener, and although it will not appeal to all, it is incredibly flexible as are his excellent songs. Everything has a country sensibility although the depth of country does vary, allowing him to fit into a pretty much indeterminate style that has a strong ally in 1950s rock 'n' roll, although to my ears those songs that are more countrified do have a greater impact. In saying that, there are no bad songs on an album on which it is not only his vocals that have a high lonesome twang but also the quite sparse instrumentation a combination that lends a tremendous sense of drama to his beautifully written and arranged songs.
The stylistic variations also apply to the tempo's, as if he is seeing how many different facets his music contains but there is always that unusual vocal binding these excellent songs together. That great flexibility of style and those variations are expertly carried out, something that so often on an album of this nature can sound disjointed but such is the expertise of everyone involved that this is never a problem on this recording.
Whilst his songwriting is excellent the styles have all been used before, similarly the arrangement techniques but two things that bring a uniqueness to this tremendous album are his vocal style and the other is that indefinable something, call it edginess, that not only repays repeated listening sessions with interest, but also brings a slightly different perspective to what is basically an album that will be labeled as country music albeit boundary hugging! You could actually say that in many ways this is true 'country rock,' not in the usual blended sense but in the way that he expertly plays what has become known as 'traditional country' alongside what could just as easily be described as 1950s rock 'n' roll.
Album opener The Monster Song includes a lovely twangy guitar on an uplifting, tremendous country ballad with Simons vocal providing a high lonesomeness that contrasts perfectly with the deep twang bringing an intense otherworldly atmosphere to an excellent song. It is followed by 100 Days In Heaven a mid tempo tale that has an old rock 'n' roll sound, at least vocally, with his voice being reminiscent of someone from back then, but I can't for the life of me remember who it was! It is an excellent song and performance though. Behind Closed Doors is not the old Charlie Rich song but it is a gorgeous country ballad with lovely steel and acoustic guitars with a piano in the background and a terrific heartfelt vocal performance. Final mention goes to Homesick, with its lovely chiming guitar sound on a tremendous mid tempo country rock' n' roll 'plus' song that has a raw driving power and an arrangement that really has to be heard to be believed! The country and the rock 'n' roll are not blended seamlessly into a vague generic medium but are alongside each other with a fairly distinct separation between the rock and the twang. Perhaps that is the 'indefinable' something that gives the recording it's unusual edge and if it is it works beautifully.
There is a quality and vibrancy to this recording that would be top notch whoever the artist but Simons distinctive vocal style brings an added power to this excellent blend of rock 'n' roll and country, with the emphasis on country. On first listen I wasn't keen on the recording but this is another of those albums that can be described as a 'grower,' something that in my case continues to happen with each listen.
http://www.simonstanleyward.com/
This is the first full album by a hugely talented young British singer songwriter whose debut album is a mix of honky tonk, country and rock 'n' roll that is quite literally a 21st century update of these styles. Had I not known he was British I would have felt that he was born and bred in an American backwater unsullied by modern country pop! His sound should certainly be popular but we get the best of both worlds because there is always an edginess to this excellent recording.
Simon has a very high, unusual and distinctive vocal style that often sounds like he is straining but given a chance that unusual sound really grows on the listener, and although it will not appeal to all, it is incredibly flexible as are his excellent songs. Everything has a country sensibility although the depth of country does vary, allowing him to fit into a pretty much indeterminate style that has a strong ally in 1950s rock 'n' roll, although to my ears those songs that are more countrified do have a greater impact. In saying that, there are no bad songs on an album on which it is not only his vocals that have a high lonesome twang but also the quite sparse instrumentation a combination that lends a tremendous sense of drama to his beautifully written and arranged songs.
The stylistic variations also apply to the tempo's, as if he is seeing how many different facets his music contains but there is always that unusual vocal binding these excellent songs together. That great flexibility of style and those variations are expertly carried out, something that so often on an album of this nature can sound disjointed but such is the expertise of everyone involved that this is never a problem on this recording.
Whilst his songwriting is excellent the styles have all been used before, similarly the arrangement techniques but two things that bring a uniqueness to this tremendous album are his vocal style and the other is that indefinable something, call it edginess, that not only repays repeated listening sessions with interest, but also brings a slightly different perspective to what is basically an album that will be labeled as country music albeit boundary hugging! You could actually say that in many ways this is true 'country rock,' not in the usual blended sense but in the way that he expertly plays what has become known as 'traditional country' alongside what could just as easily be described as 1950s rock 'n' roll.
Album opener The Monster Song includes a lovely twangy guitar on an uplifting, tremendous country ballad with Simons vocal providing a high lonesomeness that contrasts perfectly with the deep twang bringing an intense otherworldly atmosphere to an excellent song. It is followed by 100 Days In Heaven a mid tempo tale that has an old rock 'n' roll sound, at least vocally, with his voice being reminiscent of someone from back then, but I can't for the life of me remember who it was! It is an excellent song and performance though. Behind Closed Doors is not the old Charlie Rich song but it is a gorgeous country ballad with lovely steel and acoustic guitars with a piano in the background and a terrific heartfelt vocal performance. Final mention goes to Homesick, with its lovely chiming guitar sound on a tremendous mid tempo country rock' n' roll 'plus' song that has a raw driving power and an arrangement that really has to be heard to be believed! The country and the rock 'n' roll are not blended seamlessly into a vague generic medium but are alongside each other with a fairly distinct separation between the rock and the twang. Perhaps that is the 'indefinable' something that gives the recording it's unusual edge and if it is it works beautifully.
There is a quality and vibrancy to this recording that would be top notch whoever the artist but Simons distinctive vocal style brings an added power to this excellent blend of rock 'n' roll and country, with the emphasis on country. On first listen I wasn't keen on the recording but this is another of those albums that can be described as a 'grower,' something that in my case continues to happen with each listen.
http://www.simonstanleyward.com/