G J Hoffman – Corner of heartache and lonesome way “the song just oozes authenticity”
The organic beauty of country folk glistens with this release as the songwriter and musicians involved present an easy going yet emotionally loaded bit of storytelling and performance. The instrumental sections are kept fairly minimal, re-emphasising that organic element, and really giving off the feeling of a live performance, something that in real time is likely to be as warm and genuine as the recording implies.
The song’s storytelling is one of it’s greatest strengths, as is the often the case with authentic music leaning in the country, folk or Americana direction. The imagery is crisp and effective, and yet there’s this underlying truth and personal touch to it all that gives the song a very accessible and human glow. The solo sections within the instrumentation add a welcome dynamic to the structure of the song, and these feed in well to the overall ambiance and the mood set by the story, the scene even, set by the genre and the vocal performance style.
In terms of the recording, there’s added value here because the production has kept that live sound alive. Therefore everything about the song just oozes authenticity and comes across as very believable and open. Honest songwriting is one thing, and skillful musical composition is another. Being aware of what works and what doesn’t in music, in song writing, and within certain genres, is an important trait to possess or to master. Audience awareness in this case is something that is present yet not overly catered to just for the sake of getting people to listen. That personal touch is crucial, and it makes all the difference. The strength of the performance and the songwriting suggest there’s plenty more to seek out from those involved.
By Rebecca Cullen
Rebecca is a Musician and writer from Manchester, UK, with an MA in Song Writing
Use ‘EXPOSED’ discount code – ‘Exclusive to Exposed Vocals readers’ and get 25% discount on GJ Hoffman’s album download (or country club membership) over at site: gjhoffman.com
