W.C. Beck, First Flight Home Review

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W.C. Beck, First Flight Review

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W.C. Beck  has been honing his craft working as a full-time musician in Portland, OR and touring with The Portland Country Underground, Blue Giant, Bobby Bare, Jr., and Quiet Life; and supporting tours with The Dandy Warhols and The Decemberists.  A decision to go back to grad school led him to studies in Paris and during this period of transition. After completing his studies, Beck moved to New York, where he began playing regularly in the indie folk and Americana scene. His discography includes Kansawyer (2011), Sapling (2012), and Quivira (2013).  With a few albums titled under Chris Beck. Beck’s forthcoming 9th record, which was recorded and mixed in 2017 by Turney and Arnow, with mastering by Dan Millice at Engine Room Audio. The album is titled, First Flight and will certainly be a wonderful soundtrack to the summer season.

Positives:

Sparse instrumentation of acoustic guitar and organ with honey dripped harmonies and brushed drums sooth the soul and harken the personality of each tune.

Bottom Line:

Beck has a voice that welcomes you from the first notes. His equally matched writing style offers an easy going feeling on “Long Way Home.” There is a down-home goodness in his lyrics with an earnest depth of subject that deals with deeper awareness of introspection. Beck creates a beautifully woven canvas, which he paints a brilliant incandescence of love and its aching honesty. “Steel Bird” is a solid mid-tempo selection that features Beck’s thoughtful lyrics and a melody that certainly is an ear sticker. “Colosseum” is a roots rock selection with full female backing vocals and a displays Beck’s wide vocal range. The form has nice feel changes and goes between time and half-time feels for added interest. First Flight resonates with an emotive soundscape, and the beauty in the instrumentation that highlights Beck’s rich vocal style. That’s the short of it!

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