Three's Company
Posted January 24, 2012
By JJFrancesco_NRT, Staff Reviewer
I hadn’t heard of Tidewater before so I went into this release with completely fresh ears. Tidewater is another of those one-man bands, with Brett Alan at the helm of this relatively unnoticed musical vessel. Tidewater’s latest offering, The Beautiful Life, is a short, 3-track EP that has proven itself to be a surprisingly pleasant listen. The electronically tinged pop felt both fresh and familiar to me, recalling a few slight comparisons to acts such as Owl City and to a lesser extent, Abandon.
The EP opens with “Not Just Any Love.” The song is a hopeful one speaking of how the love of God can find a person no matter where they are, and that this love is “not just any love, but the love of a father for his daughter and son.” The song is musically upbeat, making for a memorable track.
The title track follows with another upbeat pop track, speaking of how the simple joys of our lives, such as the eyes of a newborn baby of a profession of love, make up “The Beautiful Life.”
“Desire” closes out the EP and opens with a fairly epic opening intro, which--along with some upbeat cheers--help propel the track to become the musically strongest of the three. Lyrically, the track speaks of how worldly desires hold us down: “Every time I turn around, something costs so much. I want it all.” But it then goes on in the chorus to say how “desire holds me to the ground.”
The track can serve as a reminder to tilt our wants heavenward and to not get bogged down in wanting the things on this earth, which will ultimately leave us feeling empty and unfulfilled, fueling even more desire. It’s a simple lesson and one taught many times before in music, but it is also one that our modern world seems in urgent need to be reminded of as often as possible.
Closing Thoughts:
I enjoyed this EP for what it was and it has earned Tidewater a spot on the list of artists I’ll be keeping an eye on. The EP may only come with 3 songs but these are 3 songs worth playing to uplift the spirit. I’ll be curious to see where Brett Alan will take Tidewater on the next outing.
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