Tanner Gordon – ‘Empty Promises’
A soulful slice of Americana, Tanner Gordon pours his heart out with “Empty Promises”. The western twang seems to nod towards the endless expanse of America, the way it goes on for miles upon miles. With this his lyrics touch upon the dissolution of so many families, the mixture of drink and pills plaguing far too much children. He keeps the focus steadfast on this point, one where promises are made for improvement yet never truly followed up on, instead those words fade away lacking willpower on the part of the speaker. Difficult yet appropriate given this very moment in the world, there is a sense of trying to reclaim the life that was promised, one without addictions.
Guitar work does a fantastic job of underpinning this longing for a better world. Featuring exquisite arrangements, the riffs have an urgency to them matched only by Tanner’s own vocals. These are the things that bring the song together imbuing it with purpose – his voice pleads for a better, more livable world. By allowing this balance between the harshness of reality with the promise of a better life, the song has a neat mix of those two impulses. While much of it is sad, there are still glimmers that maybe one day those empty promises that sting right now may have value in the future.
“Empty Promises” features the incredible power of Tanner Gordon in crafting a universe that has a truly lived-in spirit to it.
Tanner Gordon – ‘Start Again’
A dream-like western lullaby “Start Again” wafts on through showing off Tanner Gordon’s gentle deft skill. The mood is of the essence for there is a sense of peace to the entirety of the work. Everything seemingly floats up into the sky. Rhythm keeps it steady and slow, allowing for reflection to take shape. By bringing together elements of country, slowcore, pop, and post-rock, there is a grandeur to the whole thing. Cinematic at very specific times the entirety of the piece seems to absolutely lift the listener up thanks to its quiet celebratory power. Deep in the heart and soul of the work his lyrics feature a poetry of sorts. Quite dignified the song makes sure that it has a tremendous beating heart.
Drums introduce the piece interesting adding to the sleepy, nighttime demeanor of the work. Akin to looking back on the day before bed, there is a sense of comfort that the piece features. With a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure, the yearning of the storytelling adds to the sense of desire. Upon rushing itself up into a crescendo of sorts, the work becomes outright gigantic. Even at its most intense the flow of the work is never disrupted, instead they make sure that the sense of compassion reigns supreme. Underneath this the bass has a nimbleness to it, as it adds a nice subtle power to it all.
“Start Again” features the uncanny presence of Tanner Gordon’s voice in a rising, stately manner.
