Wes Dean - I Ran Away
Alternative/Alt. Rock, Country, Pop
Virginia, United States
Overall Impression: A driving sense of rhythm meets killer hooks galore in Wes Dean's brilliant, slide-drenched rocker "I Ran Away", a spirited and well-crafted tune that has the performances, writing, and personality needed to fulfill many a rock enthusiast's appetite. Combining elements of southern-fueled rock, blues, and alternative styles together to great effect, "I Ran Away" is bountiful in both melody and character, giving listeners a listening experience that is terrifically catchy and lavished with great attention to detail.
Strongest Point(s): An energetic rocker such as "I Ran Away" needs the performances to match its sense of vigor, and it's safe to say that Wes Dean certainly delivers on this. Whether it'd be the stylistically fitting vocal performance, the exquisite lead and rhythm guitar work, or the undeniably strong bass and drum combo keeping it all perfectly knitted together, the accomplished performances really help to make sure that the equally strong writing is given that certain feeling of immediacy and animation needed to really help draw listeners in. Whilst the melody lines are most definitely strong when it comes to the vocal performance, I particularly like the way the guitar is used in the chorus sections to add some nice melodic layers to the main vocal hook, and this is achieved through the effective use of contrapuntal motion, as in the vocal melody adopts an ascending movement with regard to its melodic shape whereas the leads guitar melody opts for a descending movement, helping to create this expansive harmonic element to the chorus that really heightens its effectiveness.
Target Audience Appeal: Lovers of classic driving rock and alternative styles will certainly find a lot to love about "I Ran Away".
Artist target suggestions: R.E.M. Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, Chris Rea, Dire Straits, Traveling Wilbury's, Dave Mathews Band, Counting Crows, Phish
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About the Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian 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 a level that has allowed him to become both 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 learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and become more proficient in home recording.