The Sentence
Self-Released, 2019
9/10
I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of Brad Heller before, cause if this 5th album is any indication, any and all fans of folk, country and Americana influenced song craft should be fully versed in his work that parallels the greatness achieved by names like Springsteen, Petty, Orbison and Louris.
“Eternal Season” starts the listen with warm acoustic guitar as Heller’s expressive and varied vocals steer a folk-rock inspired setting, and “Thousand Days” follows with poetic storytelling alongside a calmer atmosphere of gentle, organic instrumentation.
Closer to the middle, “The Runner” displays Heller’s incredible songwriting ability amid marching band drumming and subtle but impactful harmonica in the Spanish Waltz, while “The Greatest Crime” moves swiftly, gracefully and playfully in the gentle climate. “Time’s The Enemy”, the album standout, then gets a bit rugged, but still with plenty of melody in a heartfelt tribute about his late father.
At the end, the galloping, honky tonk spirit of “Comes A Time” makes an indelible mark, and “The Garden Tree” exits the listen with delicate beauty in the introspective and radiant finish to a very thoughtful listen.
A record that memorably jangles, is strategically rhythmic and touches on all the best aspects of Americana- past and present- Heller often works with his backing band, The Fustics, but he’s certainly more than capable of penning an album that resonates on his own, too, as evidenced by this incredible effort.
Travels well with: Randy Lewis Brown- Red Crow; Adam Carroll- I Walked In Them Shoes