Joshua Radin : 'Simple Times'
Released: 10th August 2009
Label: 14th Floor Records
When I first picked up this album I had no idea what to expect and once I’d pressed play and sound began to emerge from my CD player I knew this was going to be a positive review! Joshua Radin fits into the genre of Jack Johnson and Ray la Montane. And there are certainly similarities between this album and John Mayer’s early album Room for Squares particularly in the track ‘Vegetable Car’. This is the Radin’s second album and it certainly captured me. This young man’s toured with the likes of Tori Amos and Imogen Heap so he’s obviously been picked out by some of those who know the singer-songwriters music business. Though he’s been found by many through his song ‘Winter’ from his previous album We Were Here. There’s a hint of Jack Johnson in his work somewhere but I think this album is more diverse within itself than Johnson’s entire collection.
There are some very upbeat happy tracks such as ‘We are ok.’ But there are also some deeper tracks in there that can get to your heart if you’re in the right mood, like ‘I’d rather be with you’ which touches on the levels of maturity and the next track ‘Sky’ follows on with similar themes of how you can take each other for granted, this is quite a nice duet with Meiko. This isn’t his only duet on the album ‘You got growing up to do’ features Patty Griffin and has quite a folk-y feel about it.
‘Friend like you’ is one of my personal favourites on the album, the lyrics just feel very real. I’ve realised I’ve actually learnt some of the chorus’ now I’ve had the album on that much, singing along and typing out a review is probably a first for me. But undoubtedly Raiden is a lyrics centred musician.
Well I fell for his soft haunting-voice; the lyrics reached me on an emotional level. Although it is very well put together and isn’t as “raw” as some prefer this type of genre I think it is a beautiful album and it has caused me to go back and buy his first as well as look at where I can see him live next as from what I’ve read online it adds another dimension to his work which is certainly something I’d like to see.
Words: Hannah Ross
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