An Inviting New Album from Gabe Parsons
An album release from Gabe Parsons brings together some of the best elements of Americana folk, hints of country, and singer-songwriter, but still infuses elements of southern rock into just about everything. The full release has lots to offer, including a beautiful approach to storytelling that, at times, can feel very personal, and right off the bat, you get the sense that Gabe is someone who puts a lot of pieces of himself into his music.
The Long Road Traveler album has an almost rootsy feel to it.
There are acoustic and electric guitars riddled throughout the record, and even sometimes the guitars themselves have that sort of southern twang in their tonality, which lends a hand to both folk and southern or classic rock. You can hear a slew of influences throughout this record if you listen to the entire thing.
This is absolutely the kind of album to listen to all in one shot.
There are more than a few singles that work amazingly on their own, but listening to the full record is like reading chapters of a book. You don't want to skip chapters in a book, so I wouldn't skip songs on this record either.
The First full track on the record is called "The Heartland, Pt.1", and this begins to give you a sense of where he is coming from sound-wise. Not only does this track do an amazing job of introducing the record, because there are a lot of staples on this track that you will hear throughout the full release, but it also gives you that sense of persona that he starts to give off.
The tones of this track are warm and welcoming, with an amazing guitar tone; the guitars are electric but have this sort of elegant feel to them. There is also live percussion, and you get a feel for his vocal approach.
The vocals across the record are still very personal. There is a way that he sings that has heart to it. Again, hints of that southern undertone still come through in bits and pieces, but it's a very homegrown feeling. Like he's been working on these songs for a while.
It seems right from the start that you know he's going to be a great storyteller, and this theme proves to be true throughout the full album.
They come through with a certain kind of vibrancy to them. They're a little bit bright, but honest. The lyrics can be a little vulnerable, but that's part of the point of the record as well.
He's telling truths from his perspective, and at times the lyrics can be very descriptive, so it helps you sort of paint a picture as the songs unfold.
One of my favorite tracks on this record is called "Letters To Your Mother", which is an absolutely gorgeous single and showcases some of the way he's able to build songs to have these sorts of robust climactic and almost cinematic elements to them.
This track is a little cleaner to begin with. It's got acoustic guitar and piano as the main instruments, along with soaring and belting vocals that just ooze soul and character.
This grows into a more full-bodied approach with more instruments and electric guitars as well, so the way it builds up to that is brilliant.
He's able to string you along for the story, and by the second half of the track, it's completely worth it.
There are plenty of surprises around the corners of this release, and part of that is having an emotional pull because songs can be not just descriptive, but detailed and relatable.
I think it's the emotion behind some of these songs that gives it that cinematic feel as well.
Another track that I feel is super beautiful and just very graceful is one called "I'd Like To Go Home".
Again, this one just has an inner thought that comes spilling out for all to soak in, and it's quite an amazing thing. This song in particular is a little bit more stripped down, but has this vastness in its underbelly that gives it a gorgeous atmosphere. This is something that you end up falling right into.
It's amazing how he's able to build the moods for the lyrics of the songs with his music.
"The Heartland, Pt.2" comes almost at the end of the record and does an outstanding job of closing the book on this particular aspect. You have part one and part two.
The second part is piano-based for the most part. I love this because it lets the vocals come through with such a soulful approach, and it almost feels like gospel.
This is an attribute that managed to really wrap itself around me and keep me right where it wanted to.
This was a record that was very unafraid and is built with familiar and welcoming tones, but also a sense of freedom.
It thinks a little bit outside the box and showcases an artist who can really speak his mind and create stories in a way that you know they come from some real place, but you can also connect with them in different ways.
So, I would again suggest coming along for the entire journey. The full album from start to finish is the only way to go here, so you get the whole picture and experience.
Take a deep dive into this record as soon as you can, and I also suggest listening with headphones on so you can really soak in all the different styles and approaches, layers, and textures that this record delivers from start to finish.
Take a deep dive into this one and see how it will affect you.
