RIYL: James Taylor, Sufjan Stevens, Josh Ritter, Brett Dennen
Chris J. Connolly’s debut album ‘Black Swan’ features a beguiling mix of delicate acoustic guitar picking and vocal harmonies. A British native currently based in Long Island, Connolly has played a number of local Long Island venues and radio shows promoting ‘Black Swan’, which will be released on January 20th through Diversion Records. Connolly’s sound bears a strong resemblance to the singer songwriter style of James Taylor, whom he cites as a major influence. A multi-instrumentalist, Chris handles all vocals and guitars, the majority of bass and percussion, and provides the album’s artwork as well.
The title track and album opener “Black Swan” is a definite highlight featuring a catchy guitar riff and evocative percussion. The quiet production style allows Connolly’s crisply layered vocals to really shine here, yielding a top-notch pop/folk fusion that’s pure ear candy. The lyrics are solid as well, with Connolly singing “There’s a black swan on my lawn/ and he’s wanting to come in/ said he knows me. There’s a black swan in my home/ and he sees just what I see/ it’s a mess.”
“Million Colours”, the album’s first single, is another solid track, featuring hushed guitar strumming, finger picking and gentle harmonies. It’s a beautiful ode to a sunset, with Chris delivering the lines “Go now put that camera away/ a better picture would be taken with your eyes.” It’s hard not to see a bit of social commentary here. With heavily filtered sunsets a mainstay on Instagram, the beauty of this pared-down track makes a great case for simply observing the world around us without trying to capture everything.
Harmonica adds a nice touch to “Bravery”, which features a catchy vocal hook in the verses and offers a heartfelt narrative regarding parenting. “Not Alone” opts for a more serious tone with brushed snare and beautiful minor key harmonies. The lyrics remain strong as Connolly doles out relationship advice, advising us to “Keep the key/ don’t copy it/ till you’re sure/ they’re worth it” and later, forgivingly, “Change the locks/ we all make mistakes.”
Overall, ‘Black Swan’ is a rewarding listen and packs some impressive emotional heft and compelling songwriting for a debut album.
