Somerset Rhode is a duo located in Sydney, Australia and they have been making music for thirty years. I found it interesting that they have been performing live for the past twelve years in the online virtual world of "Second Life" and have a good following. They also released a lot of music in 2021. Today I will be reviewing Journey, Vol. 1.
The first thing is that this release contains twenty-five songs. Their music is primarily rock based but also a lot of their songs have a ’70s style warmth to them that I usually associate with folk. The opener “All The Times'' certainly has this warm and inviting aesthetic. There are clean guitars, soothing vocals and harmonies as well as atmospheric pads. It’s a lush and dreamy sound that feels serene. There’s perhaps a hint of Pink Floyd in there I was getting from the vocals. “Brand New Day” has a similar aesthetic. There's a lot of soothing sound, positive sentiment and just a warm and inviting glow to the music. The lyrics reinforce this sentiment and seem like a sign of gratitude. One of the highlights was “Don’t You Ever Go” which is a more rocking song with a good amount of energy. There’s some solid lead guitar action, cascading vocal harmonies and an Americana type quality that was easy to appreciate. “Drift Away” was a fun one that you could dance to and somewhat reminded me of ’70s inspired David Bowie. I thought the vocals were well delivered and the lyrics were intriguing as well. “Fishies” is delightfully frivolous and doesn't take itself too seriously. As the album progresses the band showcases how versatile they are. “Harvest Time” has a southern rock quality while “Last Picture Show” was an intimate ballad with great vocal harmonies. “Living in a World'' was one of the catchiest songs and I also appreciated the nostalgia on “Take Me Away.” My only critique is the recording quality was varied. Some of the songs were better mixed than others. Sometimes the vocals were on top of the song instead of in the song and some of the acoustic guitars had too much high end. Overall, I thought this was a cohesive volume of music. The band covers a number of different styles but has a foundation that makes it work. Take a listen.
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