There is something immediately striking about this album; that feeling of familiarity and reassurance you only really get when hearing something for the first time that just “sounds right”. And Atomic Wilderness certainly sounds right. It’s the third release by the Vancouver-based artist Eric Westbury, a gravel-voiced purveyor of Americana with a hint of Punk and a lot of keen social observation. If you like your songs tight, well-crafted and punchy, Eric Westbury is your man. First track The Cavalcade is a bouncing, easy melody that sets the scene for a hugely impressive group of songs.
Westbury’s songs seem to fall into place with a precise logic as shown on My Kind of People (Are Getting Hard to Find) and Stupid Answers to Stupid Questions. There is a deliberate, almost inevitability as the lyrics and melodies slot together with ease and demonstrate a singer-songwriter of genuine talent.
In the Court of Ravens is a potent, irresistible track, dwelling on the prevalence of greed with genuine bite. This is a theme that Westbury returns to in All Hail the Profiteers; Westbury is a man with genuine convictions and the ability to craft them into superb songs.
If there is any justice, Westbury may soon be finding it a lot easier to find his kind of people. Superb!
Summary
Beautifully crafted songs from Vancouver-based artist
