When you see Washington-born singer-songwriter Ethan Tucker perform, you don’t need to be told that what he has is genuine. Listen to his music and you can tell that what he has is the real deal…not just as a musical wizard, but a down to earth soul. The deep connection he has doesn’t just shine through his music, it’s the reason his music shines.
The deep connection he has doesn’t just shine through his music, it’s the reason his music shines.
This connection holds especially true with Tucker’s latest album Misunderstood released earlier this year under Stoopid Records. Tucker’s production in Misunderstood matches his talent and song writing ability perfectly and while bits and pieces of post production are used to enhance the songs, Tucker still manages to create an album that feels like it will translate perfectly live without feeling under-produced. Tracks like “Crazy Tonight” and Jimi Hendrix’s cover “Little Wing” are very crisp and dynamic, at times being floaty and ambient enough to be immersive and hypnotic and at others, heavy enough to hit you with impact while still sounding like the same song and band.
On track “Never Be,” Tucker’s guitar touches multiple genres and sometimes becomes all at once while still holding a consistent sound and creates riffs much catchier than a lot of vocal melodies could dream of being. Tucker’s soulful repertoire effortlessly and seamlessly incorporates multiple genres such as jazz, blues, folk, and reggae.
The songs on Misunderstood are multifunctional. If you want an album to hold your concentration, an album to sink in to while you sleep, background music while you do something else, an album to dance to, or an album to inspire you creatively then this is it.
Preview and download Misunderstood on
Misunderstood track listing
- Cool Kids
- Crazy Tonight (feat. Michael Franti)
- Crazy
- High Time
- Coming Home
- Never Be
- Tease Me
- All I Need
- Misunderstood
- This Has All Been a Dream
- Little Wing
Ethan Tucker “Crazy Tonight” featuring Micheal Franti
Released May 5, 2015 • Stoopid Records/Controlled Substance Sound Labs/Zojak World Wide
Share this article
or
Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.
Get music updates in your inbox