Half Notes: Seth Walker – Time Can Change (2012)

Share this:
photo source: sethwalker.com

Nashville-based Seth Walker hits a sweet spot of soulful folk-blues where Keb Mo, Eric Lindell and Eric Bibb intersect, and like those three, he has little trouble communicating the intended feel of his lyrics. His vocal style has been compared to Ray Charles and Delbert McClinton, but there’s a smooth Harry Connick croon lurking within his weary voice, too. Walker’s sixth long player is a departure from the sophisticated arrangements of the prior Leap Of Faith. Time Can Change is a self-produced project where he performs songs with a simple guitar/bass/drums base construction, adding a keyboard, trumpet or accordion in a spot only where it helps. Walker is also a very accomplished guitar player, check out his sharp solo on “Found Myself Lost” for an instance where he lets the secret out. But perhaps his greatest talent is his songwriting, and tunes like “Stronger Than You Need To Be” (snippet in video below), “Rosalie” (not the Chris Smither song) and “More Days Like This” breathe fresh life into well-tread topics of love and romance, often getting by on charm alone. He can go from jazzy (“Found Myself Lost”) to rockin’ (“Before It Break”) and still make it distinctly Seth Walker music. If you like those other three dudes and hadn’t come across Seth Walker yet, this is a day of sweet discovery for you. Time Can Change can make you a fan awfully quick.

‘Half Notes’ are quick-take thoughts on music from Something Else! Reviews, presented whenever the mood strikes us.

[amazon_enhanced asin=”B007ZU6HKU” /] [amazon_enhanced asin=”B0083WKUK2″ /] [amazon_enhanced asin=”B001OA0MSA” /] [amazon_enhanced asin=”B000VKL0L2″ /] [amazon_enhanced asin=”B0016K6D9U” /]

Time Can Change goes on sale June 19 on Roe Records. Visit Seth Walker’s website for more info.

S. Victor Aaron