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Written
by Charles Hatton posted by blog admin
Natalie
Estes recorded 20/20 Vision at the Los Angeles House of Blues, but there’s
nothing in these four songs that suggests something close to the fakery and
glitz we so often associate with the City of Angels. Estes is a genuine powerhouse
and emerges fully formed as a major vocal talent with this brief release. The
Nashville native experienced an awakening to music that came a little later
than most. Estes, after hearing Adele’s popular performance of “To Make You
Feel My Love” in high school, set aside her first love for dance and focused on
fostering a musical career that has carried from her Music City youth to the
precipice of worldwide stardom. 20/20 Vision is a four song collection that
reaches deep within and brims over with impressive passion and vulnerability.
Those
qualities are apparent on the opening track. “Until I Do” mines some familiar
lyrical themes, but she states them in her own way with such unflinching
honesty that they manifest impressive freshness. There’s some conflating desire
and hunger with the qualities of addiction, but it has a hard won honesty that
never smacks of cliché and derives much of its dramatic power from her vocal
phrasing. The movement of the song is imaginatively orchestrated without ever
overreach. “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire” is pure pop mastery with a hard
hitting sound leaning slightly towards R&B, but maintaining a great
stylistic balance between a number of sounds. She really gives her marquee
vocal with this track – there’s a multitude of elements working here, sensitivity,
bluesy force, and warm finesse. Few if any, will turn their back on this track.
“Reminds
Me of You” has a much clearer ballad feel, but this never means Estes or her
cohorts go in for saccharine schmaltz. Instead, this is another of 20/20 Vision’s
honestly conveyed and undoubtedly sincere moments. It serves as a fine penultimate
track in light of its follow up. “Bad Game” ends 20/20 Vision in a much
different fashion and opts for punch over eye fluttering guile. This song is an
ideal selection for 20/20 Vision’s final curtain because it brings together all
of the elements heard over the aforementioned three songs and couples them with
an added dash of attitude. Estes sounds emboldened, inspired, and ready for her
first full length album. There’s much to admire on 20/20 Vision and it’s equal
parts entertaining and deep running. It’s always refreshing to encounter these
small collections that park the firepower of a regular length studio album and
she succeeds splendidly.
Grade:
A
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