Five things to know about Violet, Gold + Rose
Vancouver-based singer/songwriter David Ward’s latest album influenced by classic funk, blue-eyed soul
David Ward is a singer/ songwriter who has based himself in Vancouver, London and Berlin.
Violet, Gold + Rose is his third full-length release and follows on the success of his last album, Transitioning. His music is influenced by classic funk, as well as elements of the blue-eyed soul made popular by bands such as Simply Red. In other words, it’s pretty pristine.
Here are five things to know about his third album, Violet, Gold + Rose:
1 THE SINGLE-ULAR PATH
Leading up to the release of the full-length album, Ward dropped a single a month for 13 months until the release. This is a method many musicians are making use of as they try to build buzz for actual albums in this contemporary singles-driven market. The strategy certainly lends itself well to social-media marketing, and it enables potential new fans to take in an artist’s work bit by bit.
2 MEGA-PRODUCTION
Violet, Gold + Rose is spectacularly well-produced. Perhaps that’s because it was mixed and mastered by Grammy Award-winning Russell Elevado. His track record includes working with D’Angelo, Alicia Keys, The Roots and Erykah Badu. Any/all of these could be reference points to Ward’s smooth neosoul.
3 NEON PALISADES
There are 33 musicians on the album, including a full orchestra and Kamasi Washington vocalist Patrice Quinn. These are put to full use throughout the song cycle. But it’s the super-interesting descending guitar lick that opens this track and the super-slinky groove it establishes that makes this the first standout song. Instantly familiar, the song is not derivative.
4 JESUS HOLLYWOOD
Few things make me smile more than hearing artists who aren’t afraid to embrace the big symphonic sounds of Philadelphia soul and its almost disco-like danceability. Ward has a club-floor jamming piece with this one, complete with unexpected near-Pink-Floyd-ish guitar jams two thirds of the way through. That was a surprise. A pleasant one like the bass and brass vamp in Banging on My Drum.
5 DAVID WARD, OCT. 18, GUILT & CO
You can hear a strippeddown version of Ward and his backing crew at Vancouver’s home of soul, R&B and some very tasty cocktails. He’s in Toronto (Oct. 21) and Montreal (Oct. 26) before he likely heads back to England and Europe. Give a listen to the sessions on YouTube.
ALSO SPINNING THIS WEEK:
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Nov. 24, Venue Nightclub (w/the Flatliners)