Free, For A While
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
The debut album from the Nashville singer-songwriter Joseph Shipp, these personal songs were penned during an isolating time when Shipp and his wife moved back east to start a family.
Shipp starts the listen with the warm, acoustic guitar fueled “Rest Assured”, where a poetic quality flows amid much beauty, and “Where You Are” follows with a fuller approach that embraces some pop melodies alongside the folk-friendly qualities.
Entering the middle, “American Man” emits a bare Americana approach that’s full of eloquent storytelling, while “Turned Into Someone Else”, the best track, booms louder with a crisp, country-rock appeal.
Closer to the end, “dod” recruits plenty of atmosphere for the cinematic demeanor that’s darkly dreamy, and “Lonely Youth” exits the listen with meticulous guitar playing to complement Shipp’s soft, stirring voice.
A very absorbing, even cathartic affair, Shipp’s move from California to Tennessee provided fodder for this articulate record that’s often intimate, but can still rock with plenty of grit, too.
Travels well with: Angela Easterling- Witness; Will Payne Harrison- Tioga Titan