I don’t think that the owner of the statement Holcombe Waller is “the missing link between Jeff Buckley and George Michael ” could be more wrong and I couldn’t be happier. I was almost driven away by that press. 1/1000 of the time there was a slight vocal inflection that might be compared to George Michael, in timbre alone. Thank god he doesn’t sound anything like Jeff Buckley, nor is he trying to, unlike every other young male hipster, shoe gazing Jeff Buckley rip-off. It is such a tragedy that Jeff Buckley has become so associated with the dreadful, derivative style of those who aspire to emulate him. Even if those thousands of emulators didn’t exist I still see almost no comparison between the two. Their lyrical, song writing structure, and general vibe are totally different, the lone similarity being Holcombe’s vocal embellishments. No, I am happy to say Holcombe was completely authentic, which is so refreshing. He reminded me more of the 70’s folk singer Chris Bell and Jewel, but softer and without as many hooks.
I like him immediately. He started the show by talking to the audience in an intimate way and continued the dialog throughout the show. He was sweet, funny, candidate and well spoken. I enjoyed these conversations with the audience. The Video component was interesting and lent itself to the esthetics and mood. It was not distracting from the music, it seemed to add layers of texture and emotion. The folksy meandering style of music is not what I usually gravitate towards, but I enjoyed listening to the honesty in his lyrics and tone. I prefer to be struck by a song, or a hook to find something profound that grabs at my chest, his song Wrecking Ball did just that. Holcombe has a way of taking something lyrically cliché and adding a strange twist, word or something unexpected for an enjoyable and interesting result. A few of his other tunes did this, and a few seemed aimless with a touch of the regular old brand of cliché, but even those I could appreciate because of the genuine intention.
The first song started out with beautiful harmonies. I knew then that I would enjoy the show if for nothing else than good harmonies. His band was subtle and tuned in. I like the instrumentation, it seemed appropriate, nothing about this piece was over done or contrived.
If you enjoy folk or singer songwriter style music this show is a must see, you will love it. If you are interested in seeing how video and performance can be integrated seamlessly with a concert, then go see Holcombe Waller.
-Ivory Smith
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