Calvin Thomas - Skylights
Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Acoustic
MD, United States
Overall Impression: Calvin Thomas has written a really creative and beautiful song! Skylights has a great melody that is fun to sing along with. The guitar line is very relaxed and is not complicated, yet really interesting to listen to. Calvin Thomas has a beautiful voice, and the tone fits nicely throughout the song. The melody is memorable and the balance between instrumental breaks and vocal verses is good, so it keeps the listener on their toes a bit. Very nicely written song!
Strongest Point(s): I love that Skylights starts off with a recording of a section of a city; it is a great intro to give a sneak peak of what the song is about. Calvin Thomas has very good diction, so the audience will be able to understand the lyrics clearly. The musicality throughout the song is great, as the singer sounds comfortable giving the vocal lines extra flair. The chorus that comes in at 2:08 adds a nice touch and ties things together. The bridge is different, which keeps the listener engaged. The song flows nicely from beginning to end, and this is overall a well executed song. Great job!
Areas of Improvement: During the beginning, the song seems a little imbalanced because the instrumental line starts off at a decent volume, but then does not come down for the vocals when that line comes in. It's hard to hear the vocal line in the second verse because the guitar and other instrumental lines are slightly overpowering. The singer has a great voice, let it shine! Also when the lower vocal line comes in at 1:52, it sounds a little harsh and sudden, and a little too loud. Try to soften that up a bit and match the vocal tones, because they sound a bit different. Otherwise, this is a beautiful song!
Target Audience Appeal: Try getting your music on as many platforms and services as you can to expand your audience. This song could fit nicely on playlists for genres such as acoustic, acoustic rock, pop, soft rock, alt. rock, or others of the likes. I could also see this song being used in television or cinematic settings.
Artist target suggestions: America, Bon Iver, Bread, Carly Simon, Carole King, Cat Stevens, Dan Fogelberg, Gordon Lightfoot, Iron & Wine, James Taylor, Jim Croce, Joan Baez, John Mayer, Joni Mitchell, Keane, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Nick Drake, Paul Simon, Seals & Crofts, Simon & Garfunkel, James Arthur, George Ezra
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About the Reviewer:
Brooke Nilsson hails from Toms River, NJ and has earned her Bachelor’s degrees, Music Education and Music Performance, from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a concentration on Horn. During her time at IUP, Brooke has been involved with several instrumental and vocal ensembles, including Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, Symphony Orchestra, Keystone Winds, Horn Choir, Brass Ensemble, University Chorus, and several Chamber Ensembles. Brooke has maintained a private studio while also freelancing around the area, and has experience with working on several recording projects alongside professors for groups such as the Eastern Standard Trio. While she is not making music, Brooke is a brass tech for a high school marching band and is a brass repair assistant.