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 Forrest
| Forrest
an emily blunt review
Bluntly speaking?
You can all thank me later for this musical find! The man they
call "Forrest" has one of the finest voices I've heard
in a year - and he writes his own songs, and he's tall, viciously
vikingly handsome, and comes complete with that humble artist's
smile...be still my manlovin' little heart.
Admittedly,
his CD isn't Amazon-easy to get - but this talent's well worth
the effort...
So how'd I get the one-up-know now? A Santa Rosa transplant recently
landed in the City of Angeles, musician Forrest happened to be
playing a live gig at a friend's party. Being so not into
the mock-punk-grunge-wanna be scene I had done my usual tuning
out of the guy...I suddenly snapped into attention - as did others
in the space - as Forrest armed with only a stool, an acoustic
guitar and his hands-on producer, Georg Brandl Egloff on a Wurlitzer
electric piano, slipped into his set of delightful ditties.
The
intelligente ceased their sport as Forrest captured our cynical
minds and smoothly engaged the captured audience with his original
pieces like a seasoned pro.
His
style? Well, that's the best part. He's wholly original while
having hues of flower-child songwriting technique commingle with
modern angst, dolloped with a bit Donovan-ish lighthearted vocal
arcs and his own completely soulful multi-pitched voice that makes
the "have-to-compare-him-to-a-known-voice" motto fly
out the window! He's that good.
I ran over and bought -yes I said bought- a CD and cooed over
my musical find through the darkened twisting hills of Hollywood.
Forrest sings six tunes on his debut CD 'Forrest.'
First
up is 'Novocaine' (yes a million songs, three garage bands
and a twisted dentist in Peoria have this kind of "catchy"
monicker, but forgive him, it's what's inside the piece that's
magical). The generically titled song is anything but as obvious
as its marketable title. You'll find him strumming and swinging
and you'll be hardpressed not to want to twirl about and sing
along...
He covers a peace-love-and-understanding anthem in 'For What It's
Worth' (aka 'Something's Happenin' Here') with such a legitimate
homage to the era, I suspect this "kid's" really stepped
out of a time machine Timothy Leary had hidden in his Beverly
Hills watershed of dreams... his 'GetAWay' is a cozy lazy intimate
ode to a break up that's plain old fun and at the same time, as
with this talent's work breezy and catchy. Another, 'Look Outside,'
supplies more of his singular stylin' vocals. For 'Open the Door'
Forrest adds a bit of summer-concert-series accents in the notes.
In 'Bottom
of the Hill' he plucks and soulfully shares a bit of relatable
heartache. His voice jumps between highs and lows seamlessly,
as your toes start to tap along and you're swept up into the riffs
and tinkling piano. This may be the prettiest song on the CD.
BUY
THIS - trust me Forrest will be $18.99 in six months and $60.00
(plus a Ticketmaster assfee) a for a concert ticket. Order his
six song CD for a mere $8.99 (shipping included): http://www.forrestmusic.net/
Give this kid a contract - someone! You'll only be helping yourself....and
a rare talent en route. If you're in Los Angeles he frequents
the Highlands or something...get on his newsletter dude what am
I your social director?
— Emily Blunt
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