Today we have the pleasure of sharing Nashville-based singer songwriter Joshua Fletcher. Recently the alt-country troubadour with pop leanings released his first LP Ready, Aim. Produced by The Damnwells’ Alex Dezen, who appears on most of the tracks, the ten-song album has a little something for every musical preference. It is a refreshing thing to find a set of songs that don’t rush to get to the end, but are confidently given space to breath and unfold with refreshing genre-crushing momentum.
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One of my favorite tracks on Ready, Aim is the Dylan-esque pop symphony “We Are All Alone”. Complete with the perfect mix of harmonica, echoing drums, and subtle guitar, it is a small town country jam that will quickly make you recognize the talent of Fletcher. His voice is sure to win over more than a few fans. Whether its trying to win over his girl’s mother, or buying new clothes after a break up, the song is about the distance between two people and the realization that no matter our efforts, we are all alone.
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“Oh, Midnight” might be the most upbeat song on the album. Seemingly inspired by a girl all too far away, it is highly relatable to the Country and Americana loving audience. This is a signature song for Ear to the Ground. Illustrations of empty beds, vagabonds, and morning light are all beautifully used in this killer tune.
“You could be the one I want / I’ll be the fire to keep you warm / sweet little wrecking ball / when she smiles she shows her teeth / she takes the fight right out of me” sings Fletcher in the fantastic “Still Your Blues” which walks that line between mellow pop and country vocals. Lyrically, it could be compared to a lost John Mayer song. Check out the live version with a view of Atlanta in the background below.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0K1vaZfxp4?list=PLhyyLqldo-uYEHTczaav7J4Hnr_VAJ8PH]
The hopeful “The Eye and the Storm” is probably the best track on the LP. “We are the roses and the thorns / the nights and the mornings / we’re the eye and the storm / and we keep rolling” he sings. The song, like much of the album, feels a little moody, but has an unrelenting spirit of hope underneath the surface.
It has been a running joke around the Ear to the Ground staff that every artist claims to sound like Ryan Adams, but after one listen, that is debunked. While Fletcher’s sound is refreshingly unique; confidently blazes his own trail on this collection of solid heartbreak tunes, he does create a mood much like Adams. “Wheels” is a great example of this. Joshua is free from fitting in a specific style here and is aided by an instrumental that bridges the gap between genres. You can pick up Ready, Aim here.
For fans of: heartbreak, country soaked vocals over pop arrangements, harmonica, confident musical trailblazers, Ryan Adams
