I first heard Skyler back in
November 2011, when a fan video of
"Any Stupid Thing" caught my eye
on Youtube. Having listened to
each of his releases since then,
Skyler continues to grow as a
songwriter and musician. His sound
on this EP surprised me. It's
still country pop, but with more
production and special effects
than I'm used to hearing. At times
it feels a bit much. I first
heard these songs live a few
months back at an intimate
little venue (Genghis Cohen),
and was blown away by the
material. Just Skyler himself,
his acoustic guitar, and his
voice. Skyler is one of
those artists that sounds amazing
stripped down. The lyrics speak
for themselves, weaving stories
that flow together throughout this
EP.
The way
these songs start out makes you
think they will be ballads, but
the tempo changes back and
forth. My favorite track has to
be the first "Break My Fall".
"Through the years, through it
all I've been broken, you've
been there to break my fall."
"Gone" reminds me
the most of his old stuff, circa
the "Take You Away" EP.
"Once In A Lifetime" has the same
sound, with fun positive lyrics.
"This could be our once in a
lifetime, all our dreams and hopes
coming true."
"I finally figured out who I am.
You helped me learn I could be a
better man."
The title "One Voice Sound" leads
me to believe it will be a simple
ballad with a mellow feel. Not at
all. This track is flooded with
extra effects including a haunting
piano.
I enjoyed the relatable in your
face lyrics on "Let It Ride"
"You can rough me up, you can
knock me down. Karma is a bitch my
friend, it all comes back around in
the end." This track has a
big band sound, with clapping
and a church chorus feel. It
reminds me of Hanson's "The Walk"
album.
All in all not my favorite stuff
from Skyler. Loved his last album
"Restless Heart", more like the
sound I'm used to hearing from
him. But definitely worth a
listen. Skyler is a talented
songwriter and musician, and I
believe he will go far.
!
