Peter Walker – Young Gravity
Dangerbird Records
When you have producers like Earlimart’s Aaron Espinoza and Jim Fairchild from Grandaddy on your project, you know that you’ve not only been running in the right circles, but have the musical flair and songwriting companionship to make it well worth their time.
Now on his second album called Young Gravity, Peter Walker quenches a thirst that wasn’t apparent prior to pushing ‘play.’ Chunky rumbles, dirt road twangs (“Flagship”), bourbon doused slide guitars, overlaid with street smart indie melodies (“39 Stars,” “Talk To You”) cook up a new recipe for rock ‘n’ roll goodness. No matter how many times it’s used, the echoes of kiddie piano always give a song that unique slice of spookiness, as is the case with the candlelit confessions of “Don’t Think Twice.” The perfect dive bar ballad has to be “Sleepin’ Around,” complete with a laid-off/college drop out mantra, “Sleeping around / Smoking all day,” in as gravely a growl as Walker can belt out.
For the past five or so years, the era of solo artists has continually blasted away at the traditional singer/songwriter’s reputation that’s been tied closely to those who entertain at cafes and apres ski lodge hangouts. Walker and his Young Gravity have definitely contributed ammunition to the stockpile, breaking down barriers both musically and lyrically through his insight into the walls and fears of the human condition. He asks just one simple question, “Gotta light?”
