{"id":35718,"date":"2018-09-06T09:00:38","date_gmt":"2018-09-05T23:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=35718"},"modified":"2018-09-06T08:11:55","modified_gmt":"2018-09-05T22:11:55","slug":"james-van-cooper-coming-home-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2018\/09\/james-van-cooper-coming-home-review\/","title":{"rendered":"James Van Cooper \u2013 Coming Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The first time I saw James Van Cooper play was a couple of years ago in his rock outfit called Van Cooper and in the set he played a couple of Butch Walker tracks, now what I love about what James has done is that much like Butch he\u2019s moved away from the big rock arena rock sound and made it about the songs and the craft of song writing. This complete 180 flip worked for Butch and I\u2019m sure will work for James too as I can\u2019t put my finger on anyone in Australia that really has taken this kind of turn and this sound. So let\u2019s check out just what he\u2019s done with \u2018Coming Home\u2019.<\/p>\n

The album leads off with \u2018Passing Through\u2019 and it\u2019s just so damned easy to listen to. For someone James\u2019 age there\u2019s such a maturity to his voice and sound. This song was the first single lifted from the album and it\u2019s easy to see why, it\u2019s just got that friendly, familiar feel to it and if the rest of the album sits like this then wow, we are in for a treat. This song could easily be heard on a soundtrack as you watch the movie\u2019s star drive across the dessert taking in the spectacular scenery. That\u2019s what this song sounds like! \u2018Younger Then\u2019 sounds like Butch and Ryan Adams met up with Kevin Montgomery and said \u201chey, let\u2019s put all the best bits of our stuff into a song and see what happens\u201d and this came out. Some great timing shifts and a great story to be told which is the way Van Cooper (James not band) has taken his direction and it\u2019s very welcomed.<\/p>\n

\u2018Come Home\u2019 slows things down a little for a nice Americana style ballad, then with the addition of Jaime Wyatt on this one it gives it that extra dynamic vocally. Once again lyrically this kinda stuff wows me, like what\u2019s gone in in your life, man? Where does this come from, as it\u2019s heartbreaking but amazing. \u2018Midnight Love\u2019 hits a funky kind of groove and keeps the album smoothly running, then \u2018Car Crash\u2019 instantly hits that Ryan Adams vibe and it just may be my favourite on the album so far, it\u2019s a little rockier and some excellent production with all sorts of guitars happening here and once again, I think he\u2019s truly found his niche in terms of sound and when a song perfects a middle 8 then you\u2019re onto something. The tempo picks up for \u2018Goodbye My Friends\u2019 and just as we were tapping away to it the balance of tracks here is perfect, \u2018Light\u2019s Don\u2019t Shine\u2019 starting with a single acoustic guitar and vocal keeps this one running smooth as slide guitars and harmonies fill it out.<\/p>\n

With only a few to go, \u2018Don\u2019t Say It\u2019s Over\u2019 keeps that slower feel and James\u2019 vocal once again is so mature across this and all the tracks and just the way he delivers this style is where he should stay. At almost five minutes you didn\u2019t even blink as it just flowed so well. \u2018Demolition\u2019 this far in just became my equal favourite on the album tying with the opener, how does that happen at track 9? It\u2019s so familiar yet its own, but I\u2019m most looking forward to hearing this one live as the structure of this song is a little different from the others but truly doesn\u2019t stand out like a sore thumb, it\u2019s most definitely the rockiest track on the album especially mid song when it hits. The album closes with \u2018Kew EQ\u2019 and I\u2019m somewhat sad it\u2019s over, this track starting with some beautiful acoustic guitar work before the vocals come in and balance out basically singing the guitar part which I like. The song stays on this road and closes with a strum and like that the album is done.<\/p>\n

This is the kind of album I suggest you pour a glass of something (whisky or wine preferred), turn down the lights and just take it all in, it\u2019s so easy to listen to and if you\u2019re a fan of Butch Walker, Ryan Adams and that Americana singer song writer style this this album is most definitely for you. Even though the album is called \u2018Coming Home\u2019 listening to the way he sings these songs and delivers his lyrics it truly doesn\u2019t warrant him coming home as he\u2019s already there.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

From:<\/strong>\u00a0Sydney, Australia<\/p>\n

Release date:<\/strong>\u00a07 September 2018<\/p>\n

Record label:<\/strong>\u00a0Independent<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong>\u00a0http:\/\/www.jamesvancoopermusic.com<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Track Listing:<\/strong>
\nPassing Through
\nYounger Then
\nCome Home
\nMidnight Love
\nCar Crash
\nGoodbye My Friends
\nLights Don\u2019t Shine
\nDon\u2019t Say It\u2019s Over
\nDemolition
\nKew EQ<\/p>\n