All We Are
Heptone, 2021
8/10
A long running outfit who have existed in some form since the ‘90s, first as primarily a live band, this debut as Willard Overstreet And The Highborn Kinsmen and 3rd for Willard draws from rock influences from the ‘60s on, and embraces all the melody, harmonies and relatable wordplay of the genre.
“Give It All Away” starts the listen with warm acoustic guitar and expressive singing that bursts into a thick, loud and soaring rocker, and “Light” follows with much atmosphere as the tune builds into a nearly spiritual climate of glowing backing vocals, firm guitar work and thumping drums.
In the middle, “Can’t Breath (Without You)” uses soft keys strategically amid the gentle, soulful songwriting, while “Heart Of Glass” offers an emotive and breezy interpretation of the Blondie tune that’s quite different from the original in very interesting ways. “Don’t Wake Up” is then a fuller track of playful keys, crunchy guitars and plenty of grit as the band channel their inner primal nature.
The album’s best track, “You Move Me”, resides near the end, and showcases more forceful guitar work and louder drumming as grooves enter the rugged rock landscape, and “Ballad Of A Small Town Girl” exits the listen in piano balladry, as a poetic quality with both singing and talking brings strings to the reflective finish.
A listen that’s often powerful and but can also be intimate, Overstreet and company playful heartfelt and nostalgic music that’s as likely to be stepped in classic rock just as it is more free spirited sounds of the ‘60s, and it’s always tuneful but not lacking some rawness, too.
Travels well with: The Kinks- Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround Part One; Ray Davies- Our Country: Americana Act II