About A Year
Accidental Popstar, 2020
8/10
A rising Philadelphia singer-songwriter, on this first album from youngster Grant Pavol, he delivers like a seasoned vet as his song craft resonates with a reflective, eloquent quality that seems wise beyond his years.
Pavol starts the listen warm and initially bare “Bones” before playful percussion enter a dreamy, layered setting, and “Franklin Field” follows with an imaginative singer-songwriter template amid some well executed synth.
Halfway through, “Stay Awake” offers a pensive and soft display of folk influenced beauty with strong vocals, while “Words To Say” recruits some electro-pop ideas into a hazy and highly melodic display. “January”, a particularly creative tune, then shimmers with a playful indie-rock quality amid gentle ebbs of calm versus louder bouts of fuzzed out noise.
Close to the end, “Slow Blues For John Fahey” indeed brings blues ideas to the cautious instrumental, and “Aquilifer” exits the listen with jangly strumming alongside a soaring backdrop of soothing tunefulness.
A dorm room album that was recorded during Pavol’s freshman year at college, at just 20 years old he parallels the greatness of legends like Elliott Smith and Bright Eyes. An incredible debut LP, just think of what he’ll be capable of in the coming years.
Travels well with: Conor Oberst- Salutations; Grant Earl LaValley- A Brighter Day