From blues to torch-song.
Woah, this album is one big radio-friendly cheesefest that threatens to overpower the listener from the very first track. Now the thing is, this really isn’t the sort of music that floats this listeners boat but given the fall-out that still exists from the verbal pasting given out to The Hold Steady and their brand of edam, theres going to be a more levelled approach to this review.
The very first track ‘Radio Proposal’ is loud and immediate and the tinkling piano bears the hallmark of a million past performers who cross that line between credible pop and naff pop, its something that America has excelled at whereas the UK market has been a bit sniffy at times towards this type of music. Not since ELO raised the bar for saccharine charms has there been such an array of this genre hitting the record buying public of Blighty.
At times the vocals come across as though they’ve been shipped over from the latest Maroon 5 record with the albums title track, ‘Lets Get Lost’ sounding very much in that manner, the warbly vocals trying to convey some heart-felt emotion and reach out to a million listeners. To this set of ears it comes across extremely wet (and not in a good way) and its all extremely polished. Now then, polish and good levels of production are not a crime and there are countless amounts of people who will think that this sounds the sort of thing they are wanting but it just seems all a little too calculated.
Theres nothing personal against TD Lind, I’d probably walk by him in the street and not even register him and his backstory makes him out be an interesting guy that might make him an interesting character to share a few pints with but it’s just a shame that his music doesn’t seem to do much. On a few tracks there is a rustic feel, the guitar is allowed to ring out and there is the hint of harmonica and the rustic feel makes you feel as though the time spent in Louisville, Kentucky have had a lasting impact on his songwriting. However, songs like ‘One Fine Day’ come at the listener from a completely different angle, it’s a brash overblown number that will wake anyone from a slumber and by itself, isn’t that bad but it jars with the other material. As the album nears it conclusion, Lind becomes more of a torch singer, which again, is completely at odds with what has gone before.
In attempting to cover as many bases as possible, it seems that TD Lind has covered himself a bit too thin and the negatives of this approach far outweigh the positives, at times theres a constant stream of lyrics and ‘Come In From The Cold’ can give a listener a headache if they don’t give it proper attention.
If you’re after variety with a commercial edge, there is a lot to be found here but if you’re looking for something that feels a bit more authentic you’ll probably have to look a bit further.