Tyler Edwards sings with an effectively sincere voice, which makes the listener hang onto every word.
His chosen style is largely Americana, although it’s ever not fully country. Instead, it’s a mixture of soft
rock and emotive folk. The nine songs contained on A Falling Sky pull you into Edwards’ world, which is a deeply reflective realm.
One song, titled “Long Line,” is especially effective. It finds Edwards singing about a man he knows, one
who under the grips of alcoholism. Edwards doesn’t sing in angerly or overly emotionally, though.
Instead, he basically just tells it the way it is, and one can’t help but feel sad while he relays this sorry
tale.
Almost everything on the album is driven by strummed acoustic guitar. One hears a little fiddle here, a
touch of banjo there, but guitar is the primary sonic force. The album closes with one called “Wishing
Well,” though, that effectively applies acoustic piano in places. It’s not piano-accompanied all the way
through, but only in key spots during the track. “Only After” is one of these tracks where banjo can be
heard peaking through the mix.
Whatever the instrumental mixture, though, Edwards creates a widely atmospheric feel with his music.
It’s a sound of wide-open spaces. It’s also a bit lonely, too, as though he’s wandered out away from the
crowd in order to better collect his thoughts. One many times pictures morning time in these songs, and
perhaps some tall trees hovering around as his backdrop. It’s almost as though he’s singing these songs
to himself many times, as much as to an audience. He’d be singing them, one suspects, even without an
audience. We, the audience, are merely listening in. Maybe doing so from behind a nearby tree.
However, “Sugar Hill” is one that seemingly in part takes place in a crowd. Once again built upon
acoustic guitar, it also incorporates soft drumming. Edwards sings it like he’s whispering it into
someone’s ear. It’s a quiet conversation put to song. Despite the early crowded room signals, it
eventually finds its participants hiking in nature, where only their two voices can be heard. The song
ends abruptly with Edwards announcing, “You find out how much you love someone, after they’re
gone.” After that stark admission, the song simply stops. Suddenly, it’s deathly quiet. A number called
“Heroes” is one of the more beat-heavy tracks on the album. The drums on it are upfront, and Edwards
sings it with extra urgency in his voice.
Edwards may remind you of acts like Band of Horses or Avett Brothers. This music is gentle, but ever
thoughtful. Edwards is clearly a deep thinker. One imagines he doesn’t put pen to paper until he’s fully
mulled subject matter over, first.
A Falling Sky is a strong album, filled with sparse but always appropriate instrumentation. Edwards is an
effective communicator. He never needs to yell to get our attention. More often than that, he nearly
whispers/sings his lyrics. He writes and sings because he has something to say, rather than any
overwhelming need to be seen and/or heard. One suspects he’s also shy, although that would probably
be reading too much into his style. Whether true or not, A Falling Sky is one wide ranging musical
conversation.
Pre-save the album: HERE
Don't Rush Me (single/video from previous album):
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-Dan MacIntosh