Title - 'Swear It Was A Dream' (Primary Wave Music)
Artist - Joe Firstman
Los Angeles by way of North Carolina based singer-songwriter Joe Firstman has released his seventh studio album, Swear It Was A Dream, and, as expected, the traveling troubadour doesn't disappoint.
Culling inspirations from his surroundings and those he comes into contact with on the road, first up is 'Take The Rain,' a song that allows Firstman's throaty vocals to up and overwhelm the track completely. His lyrical grit is beyond question too as he works his way through the great album opener. Then comes both the playful southern charm of 'Angel Moon' and the Dylanesque 'Carolina,' before the best track (for my money) on the album, 'Who's Turning Your Light Out?' A track that weirdly pays mention to South Carolina much more than the track previous, it is fun, bouncy and down South vibrant.
The plodding, mired-down 'Standin' On The Porch' is next, with the beautifully guitar-plucked 'Birthday Party' following. The slow, methodical 'Wild Fire' is then given to us, with the more pop-orientated 'Born Dreamer' following close behind. The album is then closed out by the soft solo guitar work of 'Falling White Flowers' and the weird-to-end-an-album with 'Gone' - a track that begins with rain pouring down, a few seconds of gently distorted sung words, before the falling rain continues to come down (for another minute) bringing the so-called "song" to a close!
www.primarywavemusic.com