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Commercial Appeal Memphis 4/29/05. Bill Ellis Building on the promise of last year's calling card EP, Lost & Found, local singer-songwriter Drew Holcomb delivers a vital follow-up in Washed in Blue. Produced once again by Scott Hardin under the aegis of golden touch studio pro Paul Ebersold, Holcomb's debut proper has all the makings of a breakthrough commercial hit. From the crisp pop-rock canvas of opening track, "Boy," to the epic, philosophical closer "Resurrected," the 11-track album combines intellect and emotion like few local (or even national) records ever do. The David Gray comparisons still apply, not that Holcomb tries to hide them (he even rattles off the Manchester musician by name in one song). Ditto the Ryan Adams and Steve Earle alt-country allusions, a curious cross-cultural palette that actually givesthe Memphis newcomer a compelling voice all his own, especially when supported by the quality and depth of the songwriting. "I believe that we knew love together, I believe it was strong/And I believe that I am brokenhearted now that you are gone," sings Holcomb on the pensively beautiful highlight, "Sweetness," which doesn't address the usual relationship woes but his younger brother Jay, who suffered from spina bifida and died at 13. Try listening to it now. Combined with Hardin's vibrant production (much in the form of his own electric guitar and keyboard work), Washed in Blue is indeed a blue mood cleansing. Only in his early 20s, Holcomb might want to hold off on those seminary plans of his; major label money just may pay for it in a few years Biography..... A fifth generation Memphian, 22 year-old Drew Holcomb cuts straight to the marrow. His dark voice haunts listeners with its warmth while his lyrics stab truth and pour out beauty onto his listeners. Just out of college from Knoxville, Tennessee, Holcomb is young. Despite a childlike hopefulness, his songs reveal a mature journeyman who tells tales of tragedy, lost love and redemption. Taking cues from his childhood heroes, (Springsteen, Dylan, Robert Johnson, U2, Led Zeppelin) and from newer voices, (Patty Griffin, David Gray, Beck, Pete Yorn) Holcomb walks closely in the paths already taken without ever sounding or seeming derivative, creating a sound that is completely and obviously his own. His debut, Washed in Blue, is a lesson plan in songwriting and performing diversity. While Rollin Around harkens to the southern Rock of the early 70's, Boy is a shining piece of pop/rock construction. Sweetness is a sweet lament of Holcomb's younger brother who died tragically young, with only Holcomb on guitar and vocals. I like to be with me when I'm with you is a classic folk love song, on par with some of John Prine's work, accompanied by banjo and fiddle. The production on Washed in Blue is crisp, original, and out of the box, with sounds of Brit-pop mingling with classic Memphis rock sounds. Holcomb grew up in Memphis, went to school in Knoxville, and lived for a considerable time in Edinburgh, Scotland. His songwriting began in Knoxville and erupted while in Scotland, under the banner of the daily gaeling winds, storms, and bright sunshine's that come and go there with the hours. The depths of Holcomb's music are not melodramatic, although at times it is melancholy. Through this young songwriter's voice and writing, there are glimpses of something grand, something outside the human experience, something hopeful, and something worth listening to. Check out the artist's website: http://www.drewholcomb.com Track List: 1. Boy 2. Eastbound Wind 3. Daylight 4. Last Night 5. Rollin Around 6. Long Gone Away 7. Sweetness 8. I like to be with me when I'm with you 9. When You Wish 10. Ressurected Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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