- Release date:
- July 8, 2008
- Artist/Band name:
- Greg Laswell
- Record label:
- Vanguard
- Official Web Site:
- http://www.myspace.com/greglaswell
Backstory: Greg Laswell is California to the core. He was bred in Long Beach, but caught fire as a musician at college in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles and going Hollywood, which hasn't stopped him from having home studios in Dana Point, San Diego and Santa Ana. During his sojourn up and down the Pacific, he's scored short films and heard his songs on television shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "One Tree Hill" and loads more. He's also released acclaimed solo efforts like "Good Movie" and "Through Toledo." In other words, his music is cinematic. Roll it!
Why you should care: Laswell's type of pillowy pop kills with both Generation Xbox and the adult alternative set. And while his previous work was more stripped down, this time around he's gone widescreen.
Verdict: Laswell's skill at piano, guitar and vocals makes him stand out, but the filled-out production this time around on breezy nuggets like “How the Day Sounds” makes him stick. The head-bobbing backbeat of "The One I Love" offers a nice break from Laswell's otherwise subdued rhythms, which are conventional but successful on their own merits: the chorus "You sound so sweet to me" of "It's Been a Year" demands its mellow acoustics, and, as closers, you just knew that the winsome romanticism of "Not Out" and "And Then You" were going to wind down the proceedings.
X-Factor: Add “actor” to Laswell’s Hollywood resume. In the video for Ingrid Michaelson’s wildly popular song “The Way I Am,” Laswell delivered an earnest, straight-faced turn as Michaelson’s love interest—wearing full clown makeup.
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