The Nature of Us / Joel Ansett
An artist’s quest, aside from being able to expressively transcribe their art into a coherent and appreciative piece of work, is essentially to build a link that connects the “fan” with the message they are trying to convey. If a listener then feels as though the role of the main character was perfectly written for them, or if the lyrics just resonate far too much, then the artist has successfully sculpted a recipe for someone’s official soundtrack.
Joel Ansett appears to have delivered on his newest full length, "The Nature of Us". With his mixture of Folk and R&B cleverly blended, Joel is able to craft a story full of emotion that is mesmerizing, comforting, and inspirational. Ansett’s voice blissfully moves the listener through the entirety of the album, and the accompanying acoustics are beautifully laid out effectively creating a transcendent musical piece of work.
"The Nature of Us" delves on a lot of life’s most contemplated issues. His ballad, “Already in Love”, has Ansett serenading his love with all the guarantees that nothing can change the way he feels. The track boasts a mid-tempo rhythm almost fit for a lounge like atmosphere. Talk about a track that embodies a lot of confidence and one that would certainly be a hit with the ladies.
Ansett showcases some of his sophisticated writing with “Turn to Gold”. This is a much more restrained track then the previous one, and it incorporates some fine guitar picking, gentler vocals, nicely placed backing hum’s, and dramatic drumming which helps in building the crescendo. His message is clear, accept what life has given.
“Tragedy is not the End” is by far the best track on the album. This is a piece with many folk like qualities. The track even manages to include dashes of violin which enrich the emotion carried in the song. Ansett’s less powerful track is “The Cycle”. This is a song with some R&B flair which is quickly noticeable in the soulful guitar attributes, and the pizazz in word craft.
The "Nature of Us" is a definite must for fans of Ed Sheeran or Jason Mraz. This album will compliment any playlist, especially with its indulgent and innocuous sounds.
