Dan Parsons Review
‘Sunday Morning Cinema’
For Hush Hush Biz
By J.Dracman
The sounds of Sunday afternoon don’t get much warmer than the soothing sounds of Dan Parsons and his latest effort ‘Sunday Morning Cinema’. Opening with the title track, a sense of calm washes over with sounds as smooth as timber and crisp as morning air, before flowing ever so delightful into the first single “Here Goes Nothin’”. Parsons shows with ease why he is at such an acclaimed level of songwriting with a single like this that delivers all the right feels to take anyone to a warm place. The album was recorded live over 3 days, and hearing the beautiful delicacy of each instrument, complimented by Parsons ever soulful vocals that hold composure with impressive ease.
Songs like “Dream On Lover” shine the talent of his fantastic band, bringing moments like this out in ways one can only take pause and appreciate. “Whole Lot Of Courage” has the kind of rich lyricism that tells that real story that someone like Springsteen could even nod with a smile. This song stands strong as such a poetic moment amongst the gems on offer.
Tracks like “Codeine” take you to that bar in the Deep South of a place like Louisiana or sitting on the porch watching the world go by whilst the sun sets. The fuzz guitar tones kick things up a notch and bring a fine balance to the record. “Rodeo Pony” packs a slightly Deep South delta vibe with a nice flow of organ sailing over the chorus and the verses wow with a tempo that keeps things more than delightful, before one hell of a cool piano lead breaks things up and rides back into this memorable chorus.
The tempo of this album is a must for anyone seeking escapism from the complexity of daily life and all the weight it can carry. “Never Made a Promise” has a beautiful Fleetwood style of approach to the structure of the song and vocally delivers such a fine discipline of depth without needing to rise or taint the absolute warmth achieved by this talented songwriter.
Each song tells tales deeply cinematic and backed by a style of folk rock that will please anyone with a taste for rich Australian talent. “Ain’t no Easy Rider” is definitely one of these moments. The ability to create such ease with and depth the way Parsons has is truly commendable.
Closing with “Made My Bed”, this album glides to a close as smoothly as it began. A journey filled with stories from a deep and very real place told with sincerity and recorded so organically well to make ‘Sunday Morning Cinema’ a fascinating body of music to enjoy for any seeking a change of pace or those seeking a feelgood escape to warmer paces in the soul. Dan Parsons has delivered a very pleasing and definitive record that will stand out in 2018.
2 Readers Commented
Join discussionSpot on with this review! I absolutely love the album and have listened to each song. They are all individually crafted and special and I did not want to leave any one of them to jump to the next. After listening to the album, the melodies and Dan’s words linger on with you in a comforting way. Brilliant … can’t stop playing it.
I agree with you.