With a gallop of the drums, Dan Ashley’s “What Really Matters” kicks into gear on the back of an electrifying string melody that is as glowing as it is effervescent. The rhythm is relaxed, but there’s an underlying sense of urgency in the music pouring out of our speakers so seamlessly. In this colorful, guitar-powered rookie release, texture and tonality are as important as lush lyricism and a sensational lead singer’s vocal is, and beneath the layers of rich audio that comprise the master mix we find a storyteller in Dan Ashley whose way with words goes totally unmatched this season. “What Really Matters” is a multifaceted composition that wasn’t designed to change the world as we know it, but it undisputedly tells us a lot about the man responsible for its creation. From the gilded guitars that meet us at the onset of the track to the heavenly vocal harmonies that signal the song’s ultimate conclusion, this is a hard ballad to put down once you’ve given it a spin for the first time.
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As powerful as the music in the background is, the verses that Ashley casually dispenses against the rollicking beat are perhaps the most striking component in “What Really Matters.” He admits, rather openly, that what he’s seen in his life is difficult to put into words, but he does a rather brilliant job of articulating some of the images burned into his mind through a pop/rock poetry that fits the style of music here really well.
The relationship between his vocal and the gentle guitar melodies is pivotal to the construction of the hook in this song, and were they not managed as well as they were in the mix, I don’t know that “What Really Matters” would be nearly as engaging and evocative as it is in this present state. Together with his string section, Ashley demonstrates the ability to channel all of his emotions into a single harmony (a difficult feat for any artist, newcomer or seasoned pro) that gives greater meaning to the narrative no matter how many times we listen to the song. It’s gripping, unapologetically provocative and unlike anything else I’ve been listening to this month.
Dan Ashley turns in some sharp, well-defined material in this debut single and definitely leaves his audience curious for more content in the near future. There are a lot of ways to look at “What Really Matters;” it’s a confessional, a retrospective and, sometimes, a bit of a daydream set to some charming melodies that are familiar yet completely original in spirit. I for one would like to think of it as one man’s means of celebrating a life well-spent, and moreover, a career that made a genuine impact without ever disrupting the natural flow of history. Ashley’s got a lot to prove to the establishment if he wants this to become his full-time gig, but as far as I’m concerned, this is a truly engrossing release that sets a high standard for everything he records in the studio from here on out. He’s moving in the right direction in this composition, and after you give it a listen for yourself, I think you’ll be inclined to agree with me.
Gwen Waggoner
