Dustin
Sellers – Dustin Sellers and Friends (Independent)
As the frontman and key songwriter in Nashville rock
band Overzealous, Dustin Sellers let his classic rock and post-grunge
influences come to the fore. With his new solo record his sound’s a little
softer and a touch more refined, but without sacrificing either the dynamics of
his own performance or the quality of his songwriting. Indeed, it might be
altogether reasonable to describe “Dustin Sellers and Friends” as a
“singer-songwriter” album, though it’s never quite that easy to define or
pin-down, and a multitude of clichés are cleverly avoided.
Though Sellers’ songs are pivotal, he appears equally
enamored with creating atmosphere and mood. It’s this attention to aural detail
that elevates the album above the throng, and provides the listener with plenty
of musical thrills. There’s hardly a track on the album that would sound out of
place segued into a grown-up radio playlist and although there’s a consistency
of vision running through the collection, Sellers brings a variety of styles to
the table.
He begins with “Molly Cool”, a slow, intense number
with shades of American Music Club and the resigned heartbreak of “Hats” period
Blue Nile. It’s followed by the jaunty upbeat tones of “Too Long” and the
whip-smart, trumpet emblazoned power-pop of “Bruiser”, a track that could single-handedly
reinvigorate a whole genre. “My Johanna” is a
perfect modernizing take on old folk idioms – though over far too quickly - and
ending with the desperate loveliness of “Sweets and
Sours”, a track that brings us full circle.
Phil S.
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