Bob Bradshaw has one of those voices that just grabs you when you hear it. The tone and timbre of his vocal is unique, but surprisingly comforting in a way. It eases you into it and the gent has a knack for telling a tell that grips you and hooks that sink their teeth into you and leave a residual ghosting in the back of your mind long after hearing it. Like a fine furniture builder or luthier, Bradshaw is a craftsman and he carefully builds his songs with extreme care and detail.
The singer-songwriter’s last release “Whatever I Wanted” was a collection of rich and full arrangements centered around the songwriter’s voice and storytelling. You can go deep into the cavernous layers of the songs on this record and “Crazy Heart” was a prime example of it. Mysterious and haunting in a way, it very well could have been licensed as the opening credit track for season 1 of True Detective. It just has that certain, spooky and reverberating vibe to it.
From our review: “Personal favorite track from the record is the haunting and reverberating “Crazy Heart”. Like a basin filled with thoughts that plague the mind and heart of a man, but all the while reflecting on the things that make him who he is. Mistakes or triumphs. It has a very sepia tinged, empty barroom feel”
Check out the video just recently released in which the tale unfolds in barrooms, deserts and empty, abandoned train cars only further adding to the mood of the tune.