Album Review: A.A. Bondy - When The Devil's Loose

When listening to an album, it's often easy to over analyze. It's easy to get caught up what an artist means. But sometimes it's better to listen to songs as a whole and not to dissect them. A.A. Bondy's new album, When the Devil's Loose, is a great reminder of this.

With his new album, A.A. Bondy has crafted 10 gorgeous songs. The lyrics are elusive, but the music is beautiful and speaks for itself. While the album never ventures past mid-tempo or mezzo forte, it is well paced and avoids the doldrums that plague so many singer-songwriter albums. The most upbeat and best song, “I Can See the Pines are Dancing," is perfectly placed in the number six spot and propels the album to a strong finish with "The Mercy Wheel" and “The Coal Hits the Fire."

There will be inevitable comparisons to Ryan Adams. The timbre of A.A. Bondy's voice is similar and the tones of their music aren't far apart, but there are key differences. A.A. Bondy is calmer and lacks the cavalier attitude. His music isn't confrontational and conveys the feeling of a deep sigh on the mountain side.

A.A. Bondy will play with Sean Bones and Marmoset at Local 506 in Chapel Hill tomorrow, Tuesday, September 15. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door.