Georgia-born singer/songwriter Butch Walker is something of a paradox. Over his decade-plus career, he’s found moderate success as a member of the punk-pop outfit Marvelous 3 and as a producer whose credits include the likes of Bowling for Soup, Avril Lavigne, and current left-field novelty Katy Perry. Yet while he undeniably plays well with others, one can argue that his best work can be found in his solo output, which ironically has failed to make him a household name. After three albums across just as many major labels, Walker is giving it another go on the independently released Sycamore Meadows. Reflective of its title, it finds Walker applying his seasoned production skills in a fresher, freer method. 
In spite of his mainstream credentials, Walker sounds surprisingly at home in an indie rock setting. In fact, a number of songs recall the genre’s current shining stars. The propulsive “Vessels†is alternately sweet and seething, molding a take of a dysfunctional relationship into a lush, bell-laden melody that Okkervil River may one day aspire to craft. It’s immediately followed by “Passed Your Place, Saw Your Car, Thought of You,†a languid loop of repeating blips and beeps that would fit right in on The Notwist’s latest album.
While many of these numbers may sound familiar, they rarely sound derivative. Walker uses his pop tricks to lend a brighter, shinier quality to the proceedings than most. “Ships in a Bottle†is a light but lovely ballad that suggests Conor Oberst without the weight of that chip on his shoulder while the penultimate “Closer to the Truth and Further From the Sky†takes the euphoric rush of We Are Scientists circa “After Hours†and renders it acoustic, making it more heartfelt in the process.
The best quality of all of these songs is their breezy sincerity. They sound like they just came off the top of Walker’s head, yet never feel sloppy or forced. The one exception to this rule is, of course, the one song that has the best shot at finding a wider audience: “Here Comes The…†is a twangy duet with Pink (herself a past Walker collaborator). The melody is attractive enough, but her vocals feel superfluous, almost like an added afterthought. The truth is that Walker fares much better on his own.
Like the pop he’s known for producing, Walker’s latest is very of the moment. It sticks in your head and sounds nice while doing so. Of course, whether or not he’ll stay in your heart or continue to fight for recognition in the future remains to be seen. Either way, Walker says it best: “We can be in love for just one day.â€
Sycamore Meadows will be released November 11, 2008 through Original Signal Recordings.
Tracklisting:
01. The Weight of Her
02. Going Back/Going Home
03. Here Comes The…
04. Ponce De Leon Ave.
05. Ships in a Bottle
06. Vessels
07. Passed Your Place, Saw Your Car, Thought of You
08. The 3 Kids in Brooklyn
09. Summer Scarves
10. A Song for the Metalheads
11. Closer to the Truth and Further from the Sky
12. ATL
Butch Walker: website | myspace
Written by: Rob Huff
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