Today’s record is an interesting case, created by keen poet BERNIE LEROUX from Deer Lake, who over the years has put lyrics to paper, but in all this time hadn’t done much with them. That is until now, when he finally picked up the guitar, locked himself away into the studio and starting piecing together what would eventually become his debut album – Empty Sounds.
From his words spawn these nice primarily acoustic songs that are for the most part straightforward, simply accessible to listeners from any walk of life. Some of them are upbeat and entertain with catchy melodies – Dark Side Of The City and Ice & Snow spring to mind, for example – while others roll at a slower pace, allowed to breathe and let the audience take in the content, as displayed in Fire & Wind and Empty Sounds itself.
It should come as no surprise, but given his background, the strongest element that is consistent throughout is the writing, being often sentimental and quite easy to connect with; the highlights in this regard including Talk To Me, Backroads and especially the emotionally gripping Momma’s Blue Eyes, which is the definitive highlight from this package, and enhancing this factor is Bernie’s country rock-inspired vocal deliveries.
Truthfully speaking, not everything clicks here, but when it does, Empty Sounds proves to be a solid sleeper product that shines with a refreshing humble quality not usually seen to this degree in music these days.
SMALL MUSIC SCENE 