From the first note Cassel’s-Brown shatters my idea of what his music has been and has grown and evolved to be. 2017’s Northern Lights EP was heavily carried by a more lo-fi feel, a strummed acoustic guitar driving the rhythm forward and only one of the tracks having that shit kicking, country swing that pairs so sweetly with his emotive vocal style. It was poignant, a bit quiet overall and let the words bleed out just a bit more until that last track, which was perhaps a signal of what was to come…on this latest release we get thrown right into the fire and the Vermont based singer-songwriter is holding nothing back.
We lean in hard with punchy drums and electric guitars ringing on “Classic Records”. Erin’s voice, however, is the star here. He has a cool and collected way about his delivery. The emotion dripping from each word, but with a calm confidence that is equally as persuasive as it is endearing. There is a sense of believability in the way he addresses his lyrics vocally. But his range has an ability to rise and fall quickly, impressive and wide open.
Where the lead-off tune has a more indie rock feel, we get that country tinged vibe that he has been known for previously on the second tune “Aurora”. Though he may be slightly more Hank III than Hank Sr. in terms of the pure energy he is injecting into his tunes, with swirling steel, the guitar rhythm matching up with the snare. There is a swing and flow. Impossible to not move to this tune. Infectious in its nature as the words pour in rapid succession…and then we get a slow and sweet break right there in the middle. A breather for a moment, to marvel at the genuine nature of his voice. It has that natural break and crack to it that you can ease into. Fuck man, I love it…and then we are back off right into the title track. With a more bluesy rock feel, dovetailing smooth and brilliantly.
“Heavy Heart” tempers and tampers down the energy just a bit. It’s more a slow dance across a dim lit room. A heartfelt, heart on the sleeve feel. The natural flow from two stepping romp to something a bit slower, a bit more open and flowy is impressive. The record as a whole flows in this dynamic and beautiful way. But he still manages to keep his this semblance of humored humility and a bit of self deprecation…something we always love…embedded in the words of his song.
Tired of reading life stories and music reviews
And chasing after someone else’s art
Well I’m tired of not being next to you
And I’m tired of this heavy heart
Yeah I’m tired of this heavy heart
Moving down the tracks, “Live Forever” evokes Springsteen-esque notes. But the pure emotion, no matter what you might be feeling or imagining sonically, never dies out of Erin’s voice. It is the driving force of these songs in this beautiful and heavy way. How he can go from a plaintive verse to exploding into the chorus line. This effectual and zestful fashion in how he arranges the songs.
“No Good Man” continues with a Chuck Berry rock n’ roll roll progression, keys courtesy of Justin Barton dotting the backing lines and the overall dance vibe, man, it hits hard. I dare you to not dance to this one… and again just like that, we dive back down into something more subdued with “Great Divide”. It carries like the surf of an ocean, sweeping outwards down against the sand, before something big comes crashing in again, washing over you with its pure force and fervor.
As much as this record succeeds, drives, hits, punches and cuts sonically in so many ways, Cassels-Brown’s ability as a songwriter can’t be praised enough. He weaves stories of the road and home. The difficulties of trying to bolster up your art combating with human nature of trying to make ends meet. Dreaming of the future versus reality of the present. I think no song better elicits that feeling that the closing track “Northeastern Dreamer”, where he returns to just his voice and a finger picked acoustic guitar to start the tune. A little soaked reverb for some feeling of isolation and being deep in your own head. The pull of the road and the weight keeping you home. One foot in the past and one in the future. It’s a beautiful sentiment, a beautifully written song and man, does it make you feel something. Which is what songs are supposed to do.
I’ve got friends growing up so fast and others who hang around the same old places
I’m somewhere in between, just trying to stay clean so that I might fall back into your graces
I thought about cutting my feet loose and running away from this mess
But I think that’d just make me a Northeastern dreamer with romantic ideas of the West
If you don’t already know Erin Cassels-Brown. You should. He may just be your new favorite songwriter and if you are like this music journalist, “Dreamin’ on Overdrive” might just be one of your favorite records of 2019.