“Cheerleader in Love” from the “Lights All Askew” album
It’s been said that Chris Watkins is our generation’s Lou Reed. Personally, I’m not sure about “our generation” because I feel old enough to have known Lou Reed in my generation, but for sure the comparison is pretty accurate. Some have evoked Bob Dylan, and there sure are some strong influences from past greats in Chris’s music.
Cheerleader in Love is one of the feature track of that album, which contains many gems, so much so that it was hard for me to pick one. In the end, I chose this one because I loved the additional female vocal that gives a different feel and contrast very nicely with Chris’s soulful deep voice. The song is short and the production of the track is pretty minimalist, acoustic guitars, a drum kit that sounds like it’s been tracked in a small room, a drony bass that blends so well with the guitar that it’s hard to discern as such, giving an almost menacing low-end edge to the sound. I believe that Chris was looking for authenticity more than perfection as there are a few instances where the double guitars could have been adjusted or re-tracked, but it was left untouched, which to me is an indication of the will of the artist to put his message forward in the tradition of the folk singers of the past. But truth is that everything works so well here that it’s like and exercise in less means more. The lyrics are evocative of a youth in revolt and how in the end we’re all looking for a meaning, through experiences and ultimately through love.
Verdict: 5/5 beards
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