I’m very familiar with Paul Kameen at this point. I reviewed his previous albums which include While I Sit Here With Me and The Kiss. On his latest album A Fully Educated Man he explains “This album began as an homage to the great ‘radio’ songs of the 1920s, the kind of songs I had been singing for a cover album I was making for family and friends. Then it took an unexpected turn, a little darker. I think you'll feel the shift halfway through it. Still a bit of a ‘20s vibe, but a different mood.”
I think this is an important point because I actually agree and disagree with what he says here. When it comes to the aesthetics such as the tone of the guitar, the way in which he plays and the way he sings I would say it barely changes. Lyrics aside Kameen delicately picks his guitar and his voice is filled with reflection and sometimes a dash of melancholy. To my ears this is more or less a constant from the first song to the last. I think what Kameen is referring to are topics and themes that are presented in the album. You don’t even really have to interpret the lyrics just read the song title. The first couple of songs are called “Whoopsy Daisy I'm in Love Again,”, “If All We Do Is Dance” and “Still In Love With You Somehow.” Once you get towards the end the songs are called “Just Wondering Why” and “Let's Say Goodbye to the Past.” The first couple of songs seem to clearly be about happier times. It’s living in the moment, it’s young love, it’s hopefully realizing even though things couldn’t be better that even this will pass. By the end we reflected on what was that love, and where it went and if maybe all we had in the end was ourselves. This polarity goes back and forth and usually multiples times within a lifetime. I guess what I’m trying to say is this release is definitely worth listening to more than once.
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