If GB Leighton is a singer-songwriter, then it is in the same sense that, say, Bruce Springsteen is. And by that I mean that while both share the same sonic sensibility of the narrative-driven song rooted in the troubadour tradition, by the time the music hits the public consciousness, it has been transformed into a richly textured, deftly layered full-band sound. The best of both worlds, if you ask me.
The title song kicks off, a blend of metaphor and melody about a man struggling with alcoholism and wishing he were anything other than himself, even if it was merely that piece of fruit hanging from the tree outside his front door…and there is something very Zen about such thoughts.
“Goodbye Valentine” runs his sound through a bitter-sweet place before “The One You Find” breaks for the border, a banjo-fuelled country stomp that builds tension slowly before exploding in Mariarchi magic, and “You’d Better Not Run” reminds us that for all these cleverly constructed songs, he is no slouch when it comes to the stadium-ready, foot on the monitor rock ‘n’ roll onslaught too.
By the time you get to the end of the album, Leighton has waltzed the listener all over the musical map – rock and country, folk and pop, from heartland anthems to relatable balladry, and he gives us lyrics detailing experiences real and imagined that take in everything from love and loss and longing and, well, life in all its eclectic glory.
GB Leighton is an established and exulted figure in Midwest music circles, but, to my shame, this is my first taste of his music. I’m not just saying that this album has made me go and check out his back catalog; it’s been a veritable Damascene moment. Consider me not just a fan, consider me a convert.
