Chosen
Gator Boner, 2020
8/10
A veteran musician from Central Florida, Brian Smalley offers us a folk opera with Chosen, where players like Grant Peeples, Marianne Lerbs and many others help flesh out the musical murder mystery that’s set in Belle Glade, Florida.
“Cuttin’ The Cane” starts the listen with gentle, effective acoustic guitar as Smalley is joined by pretty female vocals on the vivid storytelling, and “The Hillsboro” follows with aching strings as Smalley pulls off some vocal acrobatics amid the bluegrass spirited climate.
Further on, “Wah Wah” is a sparse but inviting display of gospel like song craft, while “Leaf On The Wind” takes on a poetic and playful example of melodic folk sounds. There’s a mix of singing and talking on the album, and in the case of “The Hillsboro Don’t Roll” it’s nearly preaching, as Smalley and company keep us interested with much diversity.
Deeper yet, the precise guitar of “Chosen” aligns well with the expressive singing, and “Boom Chicky Boom” is a vocally heavy and campfire-esque album highlight with meticulous chord progressions. “Talisman” lands near the end with no shortage of harmonies and melodic guitars, as Smalley’s gritty yet tuneful pipes keep us hanging on every word.
Smalley essentially cultivates his own genre of music that he calls ‘acoustic novels’, where a theatric, sometimes dramatic, form of art unfolds across a fascinating body of work that you’ll want to revisit again.
Travels well with: Scott Garred- Scott Songs Vol. II; New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers- Volume 1