Review Summary: All loose ends tied
I've always been fascinated in self released music. It takes an undeniable amount of bravery, self confidence, and talent to write, record, and then release music out into the world for it to be judged. I've also always been very captivated by acoustic singer-songwriter style music. For a genre that seems so limited, just a person and their guitar, it can be an incredibly diverse, expansive, and touching way of expressing ones self. I stumbled upon one particularly stunning little EP written by a young man named Jose Afonso. At the young age of 16, Afonso is already making his small but powerful mark on underground, independent music.
Album opener "Alright" sets the tone and lays down the concrete for what Afonso will be doing for the next 20 minutes or so. A jangly little diddy that hides a darker side in its lyrics like "Is there an easy escape from this life?". It gives us a small glimpse into what Afonso is going through. Following this is the highlight of the album "All Loose Ends Tied" whichs shows that Afonso really is quite a gifted songwriter and certainly has the chops to make a long and illustrious career out of this whole making music thing. Small tempo changes in the chorus add an incredible depth to the songwriting in an already pretty catchy and interesting song. Lyrics like "This won’t be enough, Won’t be your someone, Next time you’re around, Put my memory in the ground" paint a picture and really tug at heartstrings, yet is so deviously catchy you cant help but sing along.
"Grace & Salvation" covers a pretty universal topic: religion and doubts within. The lyrics read like something David Bazaan would write (a very good thing) and really conveys a sense of confusion and sadness regarding a church sermon. The EP closes with "The Long Drive Home, a nearly 7 minute finale that both satisfies but also leaves listeners wanting more. A taut, five song tracklist makes the EP easy to digest but also makes it easy to really dive into and find the depth hidden within its acoustic strums and rough production.
If youre looking for something that reinvent the wheel or is incredibly technical, you wont find it here. But thats not what this EP is setting out to do. Its five well written, catchy songs with great vocals and a charming atmosphere. Give it a spin and see for yourself.
