A Varied and Promising Album
Kansas-based rocker David Seume straddles as many genres as possible with his self-produced, recorded and released debut album. The album boasts a variety of styles with opener, ‘The Fire’ sounding like it could give the likes of Pearl Jam a run for their money with rugged, snarly guitar riffs and wailing solos underpinning a gruff melody that sounds like it aspires to fill stadiums. ‘Friends Like These’ mixes a choppy guitar line with smooth soulful vocals and even some jazzy brass; it’s an eclectic indie number but ultimately possibly loses a little of its impact in the busy instrumentation.
There’s a rich and deep groove to, ‘Baby Now’ that makes it one of the most catchy, upbeat numbers on this album from its delicate opening “oooh” harmonies to the chirpy closing strains. ‘I’d Be Without You’ is the sort of jaunty, insufferably gleeful tunes that the likes of The Hoosiers and The Feeling would do well with; it’s radio-friendly simply because it’s well-written and fairly inoffensive but one of the least charismatic tunes on the album.
The deep, rumbling verse vocals on ‘Emily’ make it one of the other real charmers on this album as it explodes into a high-tempo, energetic chorus that simply spells out fizzy indie pop. ‘Apple Tree’ has a sassy, dark charm to its lilting melody and quivering guitars, coupled with well-timed snatches of brass that add a little sparkle. ‘Something You May Wanna Know’ is a lovely simple tune based around piano and vocals that really shows off Seume’s charming vocals.
David Seume has proved himself to be a talented musician who plays many of the instruments on the album and is capable of creating high-quality tunes, however ‘It Is What It Is’ simply isn’t setting the world alight. It’s a good quality album with some fun poppy tunes and a few hints of brilliance that bode well for the future.