We recommend: Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors on Friday, April 24, at The Square Room!
One of the biggest surprises last year in terms of the sheer joy I received from repeated listenings was “Passenger Seat,” the most recent album by Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors.
I never doubted Drew’s ability — the Knoxville singer-songwriter (who, for a time, lived right here in Blount County before getting married and moving to Nashville) proved himself more than capable of artistry on “Washed in Blue,” his last album. But “Passenger Seat” … man, it’s something special. A phenomenal record, if I may be so bold. Here’s a clip from our August 2008 story on the band:
The first track of Holcomb’s new album, “Passenger Seat,” was the benchmark, he added. Other songs were occasionally slow to develop; “Jamie” came out in roughly 15 minutes, and it contained everything he was shooting for.
“It’s a rock song, but it still has some emotional heft to it — but not to where it’s too melodramatic,” he said. “I said, ‘OK, this is the kind of song I want to be recording.’ That was the turning point for me.”
Once the ball was rolling, the rest of “Passenger Seat” came quickly. The album resonates with that carefree attitude, a sort of joyful abandon that gives way to some of the most inspired moments of art. It’s not sloppy, but it’s not plotted out with pinpoint accuracy, either — it’s simply the sound of a talented group of musicians going to work doing something they love. It doesn’t feel like any sort of statement; there’s no dominant theme or mission or direction.
It’s just sheer, unadulterated joy — from the title track to the bittersweet sounds of “Fire and Dynamite” to the intricate beauty of “Lonely Anna” to the foot-stomping rock of “Rhythm of the Clock,” the record plays like the story of two lovers on a road trip set to music. It’s the wind through open windows, the smell of mountain air clean and crisp, the startling brightness of the afternoon sun on the shining towers of a passing city. It’s the smiles and the caresses and the laughter and the radio, loud and magnificent in the music it spews forth. It’s triumphant, and nowhere is that more evident than on “Love Is Magic,” an album that seems to sum up what Holcomb feels in his head and heart these days.
“It’s just the energy of the whole thing,” he said. “We’ve really enjoyed playing together, and we have a lot of fun on the road and in the studio. That translated well onto the record, and the energy itself of playing with this band has brought a whole new level to me, personally.”
You can check out Drew for yourself at 9 p.m. Friday, April 24, at The Square Room in downtown Knoxville. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.