Oliver James – The Hardest Part
San Diego-based singer-songwriter Oliver James’ latest EP The Hardest Part is a quiet and brief psychedelic journey. The tracks on this EP take the listener into the center of the complicated emotions between falling in and out of love. James is able to take all of those feelings that we’ve all felt at one time or another and present them in a way that feels fresh but remains relatable. From the highest high to the lowest low, The Hardest Part is a psychedelic roadmap of emotion.
Uncharted Yet Familiar Territory
I will be up front and say that I don’t know much about psychedelic folk pop. I was completely unaware that it existed until I heard this EP for the first time. What I do know a little bit about is music that resonates with raw emotion. The emotional weight of the music truly transcends genres to speak in an authentic way to anyone who cares to listen. In fact, when thinking about the emotional journey of this EP I would compare it to one of my favorite doom metal albums Woods IV: The Green Album by Woods of Ypres; they are sonically nothing alike but the feeling behind them is similar.
While there is a truckload of emotion and meaning behind the lyrics in The Hardest Part, it’s also a great soundtrack to a relaxed afternoon. On this EP, Oliver James has created a soundscape that is eclectic as it is beautiful. From pedal steel guitars to dissonant reversed synths, this is as much of a sonic journey as it is an emotional one.
Stand-Out Tracks
Every track on this EP is solid. Each serves as a piece of the greater sonic tapestry while being great standalone tracks that could fit well into a mellow playlist. I had a real problem deciding which of these songs was my favorite but I was able to narrow it down to two: “Still Holding My Breath” and “A Different Kind of Pain”.
Still Holding My Breath
I think if David Bowie cut a country album, it would sound like “Still Holding My Breath”. The vocals on this EP put me in the mindset of Thin White Duke era Bowie. Musically this track sounds like older country music with high production value and a subtle psychedelic sheen. Lyrically, this track walks the line between surreal and relatable. The metaphors and imagery conjured by the writing highlight those familiar feelings of being deeply in love and wondering if you’re the only one.
Driving home the emotional imagery in this track is an absolutely lonesome-sounding steel guitar. Honestly, that’s my favorite part of “Still Holding My Breath”; I’m a sucker for a good steel guitar and this track has that in spades. The addition of a single instrument took this track from good to great. I’ve listened to it a handful of times and that lonesome steel gives me chills every time.
A Different Kind of Pain
Sonically, this track illustrates the turmoil in the end of a relationship that gives way to the possibilities of the new future. It starts with what I thnk it a synth track played backwards. It’s discordant and goes on long enough to be slightly unnerving. Upon first listen, I was expecting to the track to be something dark and brooding. Imagine my surprise when the reversed track gave way to something bright and psychedelic. Where “Still Holding My Breath” had the spirit of barroom country, “A Different Kind of Pain” would sound at home alongside some of the brighter tracks from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The vocals, though, are still reminiscent of the Thin White Duke. I love this song.
One of my favorite parts of this track is the juxtaposition between the instrumentation and the lyrics. While this sounds like a cheery optimistic tune, the lyrics are a little darker. James sings about a world where all the good things are tainted by the pain of a lost love; at the same time a psychedelic choir sings happy sounding la-la-las in the background. The upbeat arrangement drives home the melancholy message more effectively than any dirge ever could.
All in All
All in all, would I recommend checking out The Hardest Part? I absolutely would. I don’t know anything about indie psych folk pop, but I know a talented artist when I hear one. If you’re going through the complicated emotions that Oliver James is dissecting or if you just need some solid additions to your favorite mellow playlist, you need this EP in your life.
If you’d like to check out The Hardest Part by Oliver James you can find it streaming on Spotify and Soundcloud right now.
