The Deal: West coast newcomer releases first big label album (Atlantic) and amazes in the process.
The Good: A lot. With Francis’ major label debut (after his independent release One-by-One), we are introduced to a big talent looking to make his mark on music. The album is full of power songs showcasing Francis’ many talents, none stronger than his deep, baritone voice. Francis takes a single event in his life – the ending of a long-term relationship – and creates a theme album that gets stronger with each track. No song sounds the same as the last and you’ll realize with each listen (and trust me, you’ll want to listen more than once) that the songs may sound melancholy and down to begin with, but over time a real hope begins to shine through. As Francis himself says, “Over time, the theme of the album becomes more apparent. Once you live with the album for awhile, the power comes through – the more you listen, the more you understand.” With songs like “Nightfall,” “Junebug” and “Darkness” you get the full range of Robert’s voice and of the raw emotion that makes the album special. With each song, the heart and soul of a man pours through and you can feel what he feels, and that’s a nice change from most music you hear today.
Sounds Like: A lot of really great, legendary artists. On one track, you’ll swear you are listening to early Dylan. The next, U2 circa the Joshua Tree. Later, Springsteen in his heyday. What does that mean? A great album with a unique sound and powerful tracks.
The Bad: Nuthin’. Rarely these days do you hear an album that delivers from beginning to end. This album does just that.
The Verdict: If you ever wanted the chance to say “I heard this guy way back when, before he made ‘it’,” this is your chance. I’ve written in this space before that good albums are a thing of the past. With Before Nightfall, Francis proves me wrong. So head over to iTunes and for the price of a couple fancy cups of coffee, treat yourself to an album worthy of your hard earned cash.
