Chicago – This summer a sweet little number has been dominating the airwaves. Perhaps you’ve heard of it: “Riptide” by Vance Joy. The curly haired Australian James Keogh, who goes by the moniker Vance Joy, wrote this beauty while finishing up law school. Thankfully for music lovers, the 26-year-old decided his true passion was in singing and songwriting, so he left scholarly life behind for the road, a guitar, and a ukulele.
At the start of the year, BestNewBands declared Vance Joy “One to Watch in 2014,” after hearing his indie-folk EP God Loves You When You’re Dancing. Now Joy has released his much-anticipated debut album Dream Your Life Away through Atlantic Records. The album title was inspired by the lyrics “People say I’m crazy, dreaming my life away,” from John Lennon’s “Watching the Wheels.” Joy also finds inspirations in books and movies, with many of the songs on this album being inspired by some of his favorite authors and esteemed films. In a recent interview with Best New Bands’ Liz Rowley, Keogh spoke about the making of Dream Your Life Away:
For this first full-length album, I was writing a lot on the road. It can be hard to describe how certain songs come into the world. Sometimes you can push them around a bit, and it’s more obvious how they work. But sometimes it’s like a little accident how it happens, and you can stretch it out into a song.
Those are some exquisite accidents. Vance Joy’s lyricism skills are remarkable, and his voice is heavenly, making Dream Your Life Away an exceptional debut.
The album was produced by Ryan Hadlock and boasts thirteen tracks, starting with the folksy “Winds Of Change.” For a minute you might think you’re listening to a Bob Dylan album, but then the Aussie breaks in with his falsetto filled with the heartbreak of failed romance. His latest single, “Mess Is Mine,” follows. In this pop-folk ballad, Vance Joy sings of accepting and loving someone completely, flaws and all: “Bring me to your house / Tell me ‘Sorry for the mess’ / Hey, I don’t mind / You’re talking in your sleep all the time / Well, you still make sense to me / Your mess is mine.”
The beautiful “Wasted Time” starts with a sweet acoustic intro by Keogh before his band slowly breaks in, building up with matched intensity to his emotional voice and gentle guitar. His lyrics talk of the joys, fears, and disappointments that come with falling in and out of love.
Dream Your Life Away features two songs that were previously on the EP God Loves You When You’re Dancing: the catchy single “Riptide” and the tearjerker “From Afar.” “Riptide” has held the number one place on the Alternative Radio chart in the US for four weeks; one listen to the irresistible, smile-invoking ukulele filled tune and you’ll understand why. “From Afar” pulls at your heartstrings with Keogh singing “I’ve been living on the crumbs of your love, and I’m starving now.”
“We All Die Trying To Get It Right” is one of the strongest songs on the album. The raw emotion in his voice mixed with the horns is enough to send chills down your spine, but on second listen, the lyrics fully seep in, and well, it’s even more stunning. Interestingly, the song was inspired by the movie Infamous about the writer Truman Capote.
“Georgia” is also a powerful tune, and one of Keogh’s favorites. At Lollapalooza last month, Keogh said he wrote this special song on New Year’s Day of this year. The monumental “Red Eye” was written on a tiring overnight flight and seems fitting for a heavy romance scene in a movie; which makes all the more sense when you know it was partially inspired by Scent of a Woman.
The catchy ukulele of “First Time” will have you dancing around, despite the mixed bag of emotions it delivers. The lyrics speak about the first time you fall in love and will leave you looking back on the first time you uttered those three magical words, but towards the end as the tone changes, it will also leave you thinking of all the tears you shed in experiencing your first heartbreak, especially when Keogh’s voice quivers in sadness.
The album ends with the melancholy “My Kind of Man.” Keogh starts off strumming his guitar, listing some of the requirements for the “perfect man,” later angelically singing “She said, ‘You could be my kind of man, and will you do the best you can?’” As the song progresses, his band slowly and gently fills in the song, building it up and infusing an air of peace, hope, and confidence.
James Keogh’s phenomenal voice is matched perfectly with wonderfully sharp lyrics. Vance Joy is the Jeff Buckley of this generation, and Dream Your Life Away is an album that will hold its place atop record collections for years to come.
You can purchase Dream Your Life Away on iTunes. Vance Joy will soon be kicking off the North American leg of his Dream Your Life Away World Tour 2014, with support from Jaymes Young. You’ll find tour dates HERE.
Press photo: Darren Ankenmann
Sarah Hess
After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.
You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
Latest posts by Sarah Hess (see all)
- The Wild Feathers Check One Off The Bucket List - July 31, 2017
- RY X Captivates Chicago - October 24, 2016
- Four New Bands at Day Three of Riot Fest - September 20, 2016
Pingback: Best New Bands | SiriusXM Presents Vance Joy At The Studio, Webster Hall - Best New Bands
Pingback: Best New Bands Announces 2014 Newbie Awards Nominees - Best New Bands
Pingback: Vance Joy Continues To Inspire Audiences - Best New Bands