Eliot Bronson – Eliot Bronson (ALBUM REVIEW)

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eliotbronson34Thank goodness for Eliot Bronson. One of the best releases so far this year, Bronson’s self-titled record is a rock and roll, folk, country mash-up that showcases his strong songwriting and lush vocals. Eliot Bronson focuses on classic country tunes about loving and leaving, with sweeping melodies and addictively sweet hooks. Right off the bat, we’re treated to “River Runs Dry”, one of the strongest tunes on Bronson. It could almost be borrowed directly from Ryan Adams’ earlier work, but it has Bronson’s softer harmonies echoing through it.

Eliot Bronson is like a gorgeous, magnificent hybrid of Adams, Jason Isbell, and Jim James. He’s even got a little of that pop-sounding Nilsson yodeling that’s so naturally beautiful. His voice is smooth and creamy, with soulful tones that are enough to make tears stream down your face when he sings heartbreakers like “Nothing Like Me” and “You Wouldn’t Want Me if You Had Me”. “You’re a drink that goes down hard/And burns my throat/Leaves me wanting more,” he sings on “You Wouldn’t Want Me if You Had Me”, perfectly encapsulating a toxic love. And those “oooh”s hit you right where it hurts.

The gentle jangling of his acoustic guitar is so complimentary to Bronson’s silken vocals that even on the most tragic of songs, we’re left feeling so soothed. “Never Been a Friend of Mine” and “Sleep On It” are two prime examples of the ways in which Bronson’s heartbreak has resulted in such loveliness, we’re actually grateful for it. And when the faint strings show up in “Sleep On It” toward the end, it’s an even more ornate sadness than we could have imagined.

This isn’t to say Bronson can’t turn it up, though. “River Runs Dry” is a driving pop song that seems drenched in sunlight and greenery. And “Comin’ For Ya North Georgia Blues” is a rich, harmonica-laden dance number that, again, harkens back to the Ryan Adams of long ago. Dammit if this one isn’t still playing over and over in your head after you’ve listened to it just once. The harmonies at the bridge are so effortlessly appealing. Then there’s “Just Came Back to Tell You I’m Leaving”, a song so perfectly paced, and so laced with darkness. It’s exciting that Bronson shows he’s capable of such a range, getting in touch with this more badass country side when we least expect it, right in the middle of the record.

Produced by Dave Cobb, who’s worked with Nikki Lane, Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell, Bronson is so thoughtfully put together. It’s not fanciful or over-wrought, and it hits all the right notes. And it doesn’t hurt that Bronson’s got undeniable good looks—he’s really the whole package. He’s the kind of artist who should be taking over the mainstream scene. He’s never watered down, and his songs are so purely authentic and well crafted, it should only be a matter of time before folks catch on.

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