Bob Bradshaw - Whatever You Wanted

  by Lisa Torem

published: 21 / 2 / 2016

---

Review

Singer-songwriter Bob Bradshaw has spent twenty-five years perfecting his craft. His sixth album, ‘Whatever You Wanted’, is a wonderfully-paced example of how he has lifted the sights, sounds and moods of his adopted surroundings and sparkled them with originality. Bradshaw was raised in Ireland, though, and part of the allure is how his unarguable musical roots mesh so successfully with the bluegrass swing and soul of the dozen tracks. ‘The Start of Nothin’ features subtle harmonies and spacious guitar fills. The ultimate payoff, though, is how this striking symbiosis of earnest vocals and anguished instrumentals drive this ballad of disillusionment upon which Bradshaw bares his soul: “I had something to tell you/Didn’t know what it was,” he repeats, letting us in on his confusion. Bradshaw’s voice has a bitter bite in the signature song and you’d be a fool not to hear him out. His voice is embraced by darkening strings and turbulent rhythm. “You came for the whatever thing that makes you twist and shout/Well, I’m all out,” he sings, with an understandable sense of weariness. In ‘Crazy Heart’, Bradshaw weaves his left-on-the-vine remorse around a lush, Duane Eddy-esque backdrop, courtesy of guitarist Duke Levine. Levine makes an equally impressive appearance on the more truculent ‘Losing You’, joined by sharp organ and a fiercely independent bass. The strength of the song ‘Sparrow’ is derived from its complex, classical structure and unexpected nuance, which ranges from Duncan Wickel’s chest-pounding cello to light wind chimes in the otherwise brooding outro. ‘Dream’ has a beguiling Everly Brothers’ feel to it. Bradshaw takes his time telling the engaging story and the outro, alone, holds its own kind of charm. A sharp, old timey piano rings out in ‘A Fool Who Cries’, which also benefits from Scott Aruda’s steamy trumpet and Joe Stewart’s forceful trombone — the two also spike up the already sincere ‘Before’. ‘Go Get Along’ features Annalise Emerick’s lustful harmonies and Chad Manning’s frolicking pair of fiddles. ‘High’ – “as a satellite taking in the view –“ gives room for the entire rhythm section to shine, with percussionist Francisco Matas at the head of the class. You’ll lose yourself in its intoxicating instrumental as Bradshaw expresses his innermost feelings with no holds barred, while on ‘Sad Songs’, his extraordinary use of poetic device, such as repetition, celebrates the heartbeat. ‘The Long Ride Home’ is the closer and it benefits greatly from piano master James Rohr and Bradshaw’s truthful narrative. In ‘Whatever You Wanted’, Bob Bradshaw’s Americana-influenced stories are as solid as a boot-kicked tire.

Track Listing:-

1 The Start of Nothin'
2 Whatever You Wanted
3 Crazy Heart
4 Losing You
5 Sparrow
6 Dream
7 A Fool Who Cries
8 Go Get Along
9 Before
10 High
11 Sad Songs
12 The Long Ride Home

Band Links:-

http://www.bobbradshaw.net/
https://www.youtube.com/user/bgbradsha
https://www.facebook.com/BobBradshawmu

Label Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/FlukeRecords/

Have a Listen:-