Will Dailey Torrent, Volumes 1 & 2: Fashion of Distraction / By the Blue Hills

By Drew Pearce

Laden with electric 12-string riffs and rich harmonies, Will Dailey’s third release has a vintage vibe that calls to mind intergenerational collaborations between the Byrds and the Jayhawks (“Laugh It Off”) or Tom Petty and Ryan Adams (“So Many Wrong Ways”). But it’s more than the ring of familiarity that makes this record instantly enjoyable; Dailey has impeccable pop instincts and a knack for marrying the finest phrases to the catchiest melodies. Blending anthemic melodies, rave-up rhythms, and a “Wall of Sound” arrangement that culminates in a killer guitar solo, “Never Be Your Baby” sounds like his surefire radio hit. When the instrumentation is pared back to acoustic guitars, mandolin, and percussion (“Allston”), or a single ukelele (“Too Long”), the songs have even more charm and resonance. And though some songs come close to “Kravitz-ing” the classics, one tune captures the passion of someone reacting to this moment in history. On “Down the Drain,” Dailey digs into the lyrics with the conviction of Bruce Springsteen and the soul of Martin Sexton and makes you believe him when he sings, “I am more concerned with the quality of my freedom than I am with the quantity of my days.” (CBS Records, cbsrecords.com)

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Torrent artwork