Kevin Conroy is an artist from Chicago, Illinois who released Let It Heal. The album contains seven songs that play into a singer/songwriter/folk angle. Throughout the album you are greeted with what is mostly melancholy nostalgia that is intimate and full of reflection.
These types of albums can sometimes feel saccharine and melodramatic especially if every song feels like a somber reflection of the past that turns into a hopeful realization of the promise of the future. That’s definitely a big part of what this release feels like it is about. It’s emotionally heavy and is backed by great production and solid performances. Up first is “Old Thunder” which was one of my favorite songs. It starts off in a standard intimate singer/songwriter type setting with breathy confessions. The thing I liked most was the application of instrumentation that changes the mood of the song. It was a repeat worthy song. “Keep Your Eyes On Shore” was another impressive song. It mixes the reflection and epiphanies of one's mind with orchestral strings, piano and more. The instrumentation again does a good job of shifting the mood and energy of the song. “Railcar” is full of reflective thoughts about life that are poetic enough to not feel like platitudes. Conroy sings, “The days come and go, And here in the end, There's only one thing I know, This railcar will take me home.” “Annalisa” was a highlight and also a nice change of pace. I liked the vocal melodies and the joyous second half of the song. “Let It Heal” is very dramatic that bares comparison to some of Coldplay while “Recovery” is under two minutes but still sets up an entire arch of a song. “How The Wildflower Grows” was a little predictable because it felt like a microcosm of the album. The first half is very melancholy and shines a single spotlight on Conroy for his most intense reflection. It all builds to the joyous, outpouring of redemption where he sings about getting his life together and appreciating the smaller things in life. This type of cathartic, coming of age type of albums are a category that has been around for a long time. In fact the songs I have heard at a Sunday worship that feel somewhat timeless sound undeniably similar both in execution and mood. There’s a reason the style is so popular. This type of music can be just as motivational to someone as a Tony Robbins convention or a self help book. If you want to reflect about your own life and you want to start the day anew, this may be a good companion piece.
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