John Richard Paul - Plus Two

John Richard Paul

Plus Two
self-released; 2021

3.9 out of 5

By J. J. Thayer

Traverse City, Michigan’s John Richard Paul has been a career sideman, as a bassist and backing vocalist for a number of touring acts. With his Plus Two EP, he makes his first steps out front as a solo artist. He calls his music “a mix of singer/songwriter, Americana and folk via a Midwestern sensibility.” You can hear the influences of artists such as Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, and Dwight Yoakam, all of whom Paul played with on festival bills.

Plus Two is three tracks, starting with the Americana-standard styled “Follow Your Lead.” The song is held down by strummed acoustic guitar, with twangy, bendy single-coil leads and Hammond organ appropriately worked in. The song’s style is familiar, and while it’s not pushing any boundaries, it is well-executed. Paul’s lyrics–reflecting on his role as a father–elevate the proceedings:  “Did I set a good example as a father and a man / Well I have taught my boys all I could to do better than what I’d done / I hope they’re better than what I’ve become.” Amen, brother.

“Wolves at the Door” is up next. It’s a minor-feel folk dance tune, with some saxophone lines, violin parts and nice little pops of percussion (including cowbell and vibraslap). The track offers a nice change of pace from the other two tunes, and works well.

It’s the title cut that puts the album over the top. “Plus Two” is a tearjerker song from the get-go, complete with mandolin and lush vocal harmonies. His lyrics are raw and honest, as he apologizes and sings his love to his wife and children. The melody is beautiful, and he breaks the phrases in interesting, yet natural places across the music. Underneath, the production is interesting and textured, but not overblown. The track builds nicely as the second verse gets going, and features some cool slide guitar parts. The third verse is a nice lyrical variation on the first, and the pedal tones (a bowed bass, perhaps) throughout offer the right amount of sweetness and longing. It’s three-and-a-half minutes of radio-ready beauty. Somebody get this man a publicist!

Paul says that Plus Two is his first tentative step to a full album. This isn’t a baby step–this is a leap across the threshold. Please send us the album when it’s ready. In the meantime, I’ve got Plus Two on repeat.

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