Vance Joy – Dream Your Life Away

5/5

Australian singer-songwriter James Keogh, better known as Vance Joy has proudly released his debut album Dream Your Life Away, top to bottom with his unfailing pop-folk songwriting. The 11-track full length shines bright with raw talent and youthful passion.

With a large step in the right direction and in the right pace, “Winds of Change” starts Dream Your Life Away with a short and sweet folk song.

Mess is Mine, the second track on the album is an exceptional example of Joy‘s musical ability to create layers of emotion and passion with his vocals and accompanying guitar. Although he gets support from other instruments for a crashing conclusion, the heart of the song comes from Joy’s individual effort.

The heart-string-tugging album moves forward with “Wasting Time, a love song propelled with each guitar strum and each note sung. The breakthrough hit “Riptide appears on the album, tying everything together with the crowd favourite.

Sung with the Pacific Ocean and coastline flowing out from the ukelele, “Who Am I is a blissful and enchanting love song that makes it near impossible to not reminisce about a past sweetheart.

Composed of solely his voice and the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar, “From Afar is a tasteful crescendo of musicality, which “shouldn’t come as a surprise” from the gifted Aussie.

Alluding to Ray Charles‘ “Georgia on My Mind”, Vance Joy shares his longing for “Georgia” in the sorrowful and dramatic song named after the heartbreaking girl.

Skipping forward to the youthful and evocative track “First Time shares strong similarities with some of the previous tracks on the album; yet still able to dig out a unique perspective from the listener.

The remaining songs are not as strong as the first half of the album, but are worth the listen nonetheless.

Listen to the full album via Youtube

Buy the album: www.vancejoy.com

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