popwreckoning

Kansas City’s Dave  Matthews-esque Clay Hughes recently released this video for “Sunday Stroll.” You can check out more great alt-country/alt-rap tunes from Clay off his album Burn here.

What Makes Us So Alive?

This is a question that is pretty thought provoking. No matter if you believe in a higher power or not, it makes you think; what DOES make us so alive?

From the second I played We Are Voices’ debut album, What Makes Us So Alive?, it seemed to have a hold on a part of my brain. Not only the part that appreciates music, but something deeper than that. Lucas Larson’s lyrics reach out and grasp a part of the soul. His soft voice and powerful lyrics make it hard to pay attention to anything else. Including this review.

The first two tracks “The Business of Heaven” and “When All The Trees Have Lied…” flow together like one liquid song.

“The Business of Heaven” starts out soft, moving through my veins like a cheap drug. The lyrical genius along with the smooth melodic guitar rhythms could almost hypnotize – and put you in a trance.

Track four, “At This Rate,” starts off sounding a bit like Brand New, but then transforms back into the unmistakable sound of we are voices.

The drums at the beginning of “Dear Lord, It’s Simple” take over the song and seem to put me in a trance. The rim shots and simple cymbal crashes pulled me in, I almost didn’t realize that Larson has started singing until he clearly says “Who am I to listen” then his voice just took over.

What Makes Us So Alive? ends with that exact quote. Larson repeats it over, and over, engraving it in.

I’m not saying that this album is great because I feel obligated to. I’m saying this album is great because of the way it makes me feel when I listen to it.

It makes me question and think for myself about life and the why behind it. What, honestly, does make me alive? Is it the work I do? The friends that I’m around?

We Are Voices opens so many doors that it’s hard to figure out which one to step into.

Ever have those moments where you sit and just think about where your life is going or what your purpose is?

Go to wearevoices.com to get a free download of What Makes Us So Alive?

Photographer Scott Spychalski recently caught Stone Temple Pilots at Kansas City’s Midland Theatre. Here are some photos showcasing the performance: