Vintage Review: Owsley's The Hard Way (2003)

It’s mighty hard for the pop-oriented rocker to make a living in Nashville – just ask Bill Lloyd, Will Kimbrough, or Josh Rouse, pop aficionados all. That hasn’t deterred Will Owsley from plying his trade in the “Music City,” however. A better-than-average axeman in a city overflowing with six-string wizards, Owsley has managed to survive nicely on session work and tours with folks like Amy Grant and Shania Twain. In his heart, though, he’s closer to Paul McCartney and Neil Finn than to Hank Williams and Merle Haggard. His critically acclaimed debut album, released by Giant in 1999, was recorded in Owsley’s living room over the period of four years; it took the talented singer/songwriter about the same amount of time to deliver his sophomore effort, The Hard Way. Fans of the pop/rock aesthetic should be thrilled to rediscover this underrated talent, no matter how long the wait…

The Hard Way is unabashedly polished, carefully constructed songs complimented by lush instrumentation with just the slightest bit of chaos seeping in around the edges. Owsley’s pop craftsmanship is akin to fellow travelers like Ben Folds or Ben Kweller, Beatlesque flourishes accompanied by influences from folks like Crowded House, Todd Rundgren and Paul McCartney’s solo work. Songs like “Be With You” or “Down” are guitar-driven delights, sharply written and precisely performed with a harder edge than the piano pop of Folds or the folkish radio-rock of Sheryl Crow. An accomplished tunesmith with an eye for detail, Owsley’s skilled wordplay emboldens his observations on romance and relationships with authority. Owsley’s artistic palette is a wide one – “Dude” sounds like an inspired cross between Oasis and Coldplay while “Rainy Day People” includes swirls of psychedelic guitar and trippy harmonies like Jellyfish. Wherever the music takes him, Owsley always manages to imprint familiar sonic territory with his own unique signature.

There’s a lot to like about The Hard Way. If modern rock radio wasn’t so obsessed with the same marketing schemes that plague pop culture as a whole these days, there would be room for artists like Will Owsley (and Josh Rouse, etc) to have their voices heard. Until that wonderful day when talent overshadows image, there’s comfort to be had in knowing that true believers like Owsley continue to create beautiful music for a small, appreciative and loyal audience. (Lakeview Entertainment, released 2003)