Inspired by the death of his father, famed producer and underrated songwriter Butch Walker has written one of the best albums of his career, and it’s the first album I’m loving of 2015. Collaborating with Butch on the album is Ryan Adams, and his presence is felt throughout the collection of beautiful acoustic songs here.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the songs here directly and indirectly reference the passing of Butch’s father. “Afraid of Ghosts” and “Father’s Day” don’t try to be subtle, as Butch writes about his first father’s day without his dad, and in “The Dark”, he looks forward, as he moves into the future with the memory of his dad by his side.
It’s a beautifully melancholy collection of sparse tracks, and the weakest tracks are the ones that try to be more upbeat, like “I Love You”. This song, and the stand out “Chrissie Hynde” aren’t about Butch’s father, but still hint at the nostalgia infused in the album. “21+” is another great track, tinged with regret.
I really love this album. Watch Butch perform “Chrissie Hynde” and “Father’s Day” here.
The Indy Review 