Music Review // Ad Vanderveen "Candle to You"

 

https://advanderveen.bandcamp.com/album/candle-to-you

One aspect of music that I never really considered before hearing Ad Vanderveen was the concept of Americana.   It's funny because the term "Americana" can be used as a genre, the same way that you could use the word "grunge" or "ska".   But then when I really think about it with this album, Ad Vanderveen is an artist based in Amsterdam.  I always imagine Americana as coming out of a certain part of the United States and never really thought about how that sound could also be played from somewhere which is simply not.  

With acoustics and strings, Ad Vanderveen even has a harmonica solo on the first song.  Through acoustic strums and electric guitar riffs "Following The Wind" has backing vocals and it's just beautiful melodies.  "Over Time" can have a rougher, faster feel to it but I'm determined to fit this into the genre of Americana and it certainly has elements of folk within it.   The pace is generally the same as well, so it never gets too emotional but at some points I suppose it can feel sad.  

"Last Venture" is perhaps the best representation of that true folk sound on this album.  "Window In The Rain" feels like it has a banjo within it and "Miss That World" is a reflective song full of acoustic strums.  The percussion takes over "Exit Inside" while the final song, "Air Guitar", is lead by an electric guitar and rightfully so.   Ad Vanderveen has really done a wonderful job here of crafting an original sound while pulling in elements of familiarity.

In many ways, it can be easy enough to compare this album with something which already exists such as Neil Young.  There are also elements of Tom Petty and something more closely based to country, Willie Nelson perhaps.   But even though there are parts which sound like parts of those artists, on the whole this one just forges ahead with a new sound of folk music which is both refreshing and comforting at the same time.