June 19th, 2009

Graham Greer – Self Titled
Label: Indie

by Alex Young

Graham Greer’s second solo record is an unabashed, honest album that shows Greer at his most gritty and sincere since he was last heard in the Barstool Prophets. Greer branches out into the vein of singer/songwriters such as Sheryl Crowe and John Mayer by revealing that those who love rock and roll can still have a heart too. The record blurs the line between genres while Greer blends country, pop and rock together to create a stylish flavor of songwriting that is both anthemic and emotional. The sound of the album itself is an interesting mix of traditional acoustic guitar melodies, soothing vocals and a diverse array of percussion including tribal drums. Greer creates the kind of music that may cover bleak subject matter but has a wonderful way of bringing out an inspiring tone or message within every track. “Bring Me Fire” has Greer singing about the dark times we live in and having the strength carry on through them with the fiery human passion to survive. The song may start off with a slow keyboard melody but as it moves on its daring lyrics are met with compelling orchestration. As the tune gains more momentum and builds up to a bold chorus, Greer begins to belt out “Bring me fire/Bring me flame/push the dark back/ from where it came”. The song “Wire-Walker” is an acoustic ballad that speaks to the power of human nature, and points out that even though no one’s perfect, there are things we can do every day to make the world a better place. “Wire-Walker” speaks of the good and evil within everyone and how hard it can be to stay on a straight and narrow patch while Greer sings “the only thing that we control right now/is the step we take today”. The song “Buttercup” has a delightful country twang to it and all the energy of a fully loaded rock and roll crazy train flying down its own unique track. “Buttercup” blends acoustic guitars with an electric chorus to allow Greer’s songwriting sensibilities to bring some great sounds of country, rock and pop together effortlessly. Ultimately Greer’s music serves as a delightful reminder of the power someone can create with gentle strumming, an acoustic guitar, and voice that has personality and conviction. Greer isn’t trying to preach to anyone or save the world with his music, but he does have an ability to uplift the spirits of those that take the time to listen to him.