Dylan James is a Bristol born London based singer-songwriter who I saw was described as a bedsit singer songwriter, which I found was pretty disrespectful as he is so much more. His debut album `Expected To Fly` is released this month and deals with mental health issues, along with everyday life observations and how they can impact you.
Opening track `Painted It Gold` has a kind of bright breezy shimmer to it, a kind of recognition of a certain somebody in your life who certainly turned it around. We have a much more reflective outing with `Let`s Talk` which relates to opening up and sharing your feelings. A real torchbearer song for mental health awareness during these challenging times.
`Black Cloud` is a further musing on dark days and having the courage to accept and overcome them, especially with the help of those close to you. I read that the artist was pretty proud of `Hide` which is a further thoughtful composition about wanting to retreat from sight due to life struggles. It`s a pretty all-encompassing listen and had that touch of observational storytelling that Springsteen excels in.
`Cracking Up` is a pretty expansive composition which appears to come from surveying everyday events and expressing an opinion. An underlying guitar rhythm, harmonica tinges and complementing harmonies really increase the depth of this number. To me there was a pretty Dylanesque vibe to `Make Up Your Mind` which has some almost tribal drumming and harmonica tones. A kind of frank assessment of an acquaintance’s life and the need for positive changes.
`Boys Yard` is an upbeat reflection on how modest life pleasures that although simplistic are as important as any aspirations that you may wish to achieve. We have a fairly introspective number in `What Would You Say` where the narrator considers their options in regard to moving a relationship to the next stage, a more permanent union.
In ‘I’m Not Superman’ the singer has shared that this track runs deep through his veins and tells a story of an invisible mask faking somebody he wasn’t. A mid paced meditative piece. The album closes out with `I Am Your Sound` which is another ruminative number which leaves us with a hopeful optimistic message that even in darkness there is light.
I don`t know what it is about the waters of the River Avon, but this is the third related album from Bristol based artists this week with My Octopus Mind and John E Vistic more recently.
`Expected To Fly` is an absorbing listen and full of poetic lyricism which touches on subjects such as mental health issues, to life observations but Dylan James shares an overall positive message, and you can`t ask for much more than that.
Rating 8 /10
