Review by Patrick Joseph
“Right Here” is a driving and intense Americana epic with haunting overtones. Lyrically poignant and delivered with timeless raw energy, this is a song that will give you chills. A thumping kick drum plays downbeats throughout the song, creating a hypnotic pulse over which this song can shine. Harmonized vocal lines add melodic depth to the driving rhythm. Lead vocals increase in intensity throughout the tune, creating wonderful dynamic peaks. The sound captured on the acoustic guitar is a perfect match with the emotional tone of the song, and the slide guitar adds a chilling timbre.
Lyrically, “Right Here,” tells a tale of two perspectives. “Out there” is described as a place “Where the green grass grows, Where lovers kiss and water flows.” This is contrasted with “Right Here” where “There are semi-automatic weapons killing children, Student loans making people poor and, No one can decide what health insurance is for.” These incisive lyrics are both self-reflective and skeptical of an overly optimistic view of the world. “I’m right here” the song states with bold determination.
“Right Here” demonstrates brilliance in the musical arrangement. The song begins and ends with solo vocals over a kick drum, bringing it full circle. Listeners will love how this song develops over a static form of just two chords.
Subtle additions in energy and instrumentation keep this song sounding fresh and exciting from start to finish. The lead vocal delivery is incredibly powerful, effectively communicating the song’s massive message. “Right Here” grabs you right away and doesn’t let go until the song is finished.
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About The Ormewoods
Atlanta, GA-based Americana duo The Ormewoods are Don McCollister and Claire Pearson. Don and Claire bring dynamic individual musical histories to their remarkable partnership - Don as a two-time Grammy winner and Claire as an indie radio favorite singer/songwriter. In 2016, they quickly built a base of fans as they toured the Southeast and Mid-West promoting their debut album "The Bedroom Sessions".
In 2017, the duo began recording their sophomore release Not Your Mama's Folk and even had a CD release party at famed music venue Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA but the album has still not been officially released. While their first album came together effortlessly, this album has been a more difficult journey.
One of the challenges is that the lyrics Claire was inspired to write were focused more on the outside world than on the duo's inner world like The Bedroom Sessions. For a duo who has frequently been called "the happy Civil Wars", the outside world Claire was writing about was NOT happy. "It took us a minute to get around what this album needed to sound like," says Don McCollister. "We wanted it to feel like us but at the same time, the music needed to support what Claire was writing. I hope we've balanced that well."
In addition to releasing the singles from this project this year, the duo has also turned their attention to growing food for a family of 4 and is documenting their efforts on their YouTube channel.
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