Presley Duyck - Passenger Seat
Pop, Singer/Songwriter
Texas, United States
Overall Impression: Boasting catchy hooks, strong performances, and a tremendous amount of heart, "Passenger Seat" is a deftly produced track that smartly combines elements of pop, rock, and indie, resulting in a well-written and immaculately arranged tune that grows on every listen. Presley Duyck has done a marvelous job of bringing the reflective lyrics to life with a fantastic lead vocal performance, showcasing both a sense of maturity and style.
Strongest Point(s): It goes without saying that the lead vocal performance is the heart and soul of the track, expressing subtle emotional nuance and great control over tone and dynamics, there is the feeling of utmost conviction coming through. Beginning with a stylish bass slide, the track opens with a fair bit of ambiance, courtesy of the reverb and delay-laden guitar motif that acts as a nice introduction for the lead vocals, it sets the scene perfectly and makes for a greater impact when the lead vocals fully enter. A particularly strong element of the track is how instrumentation, dynamics, and texture are used to create a clear distinction between sections, as an example, the verse is subdued in nature, the drums hold back whilst the bass and guitar make great use of a softer approach to dynamics, the vocals similarly remain understated, once the chorus hits the guitars, drums and vocals become dynamically more vibrant and the general energy of the track is lifted, creating a harder hitting chorus that stands out, great work! At 2:37 this a relatively short track, however, there are plenty of ideas here that make this feel longer than it is, it's a sign of great writing and there is obvious acute attention to detail in terms of the arrangement, the song flows seamlessly from start to finish and manages to keep the listener continually engaged throughout.
Target Audience Appeal: This feels right at home in the indie/pop genre.
Artist target suggestions: Taylor Swift, No Doubt, Hole, Sarah Mclachlan, Lorde, Paramore, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Jessie J, The Veronicas, Avril Lavigne, Tonight Alive, PVRIS, Boys Like Girls, Hey Monday
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About the Reviewer:
Andre is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to become a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar, as well as teaching it, helping students both learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and how to become proficient in home recording.