If you're looking for some bare-naked acoustic folk music then that's exactly what Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Cresey offers on his first full-length release. Cresey is no stranger to the fretboard and proves this with some elaborate playing, woven in with some thoughtful lyrics.
All seems in order on the title track. Cresey's voice sounds like a sea of other singer-songwriters plying their trade out there, and such is the undoing of many a solo artist these days. Cresey knows how to construct a song but time will tell whether or not he will mature into a singer of note. Around twenty seconds into "Sympathize", Cresey somehow inherits the voice box of Dave Grohl, and floats in and out of a grungy rock sound. Certainly, it's the first real change of pace on the album, and perhaps a welcome one at that. It is, however, a sound that neglects to reappear on the album, and as such, is perhaps unbefitting of the album's largely acoustic feel.
"Sinners and Saints" sees the album seep a modicum of Cresey's true talent. Above diligent picking, Cresey searches the soul of a lover. From this song came the first real hints at this man's talents. Of all the tracks on the album, "Ireland" is perhaps the most intriguing, certainly as far as lyrics are concerned. Perhaps as a nod to his own Christian leanings, Cresey explores Ireland's religious divide, while expressing his liking of the land.
This is the first offering from Paul Cresey, and certainly not a bad effort. What he lacks in consistency, he accounts for with a couple of standout tracks and an obvious rapport with the fretboard.