Album Review: The Story of How We Lose Control

Fusing funk, folk, ska and R&B, Sean Gaffney has created a beautiful album driven by upbeat rhythms and catchy melodies. His beautiful voice blended with the female's bv's create a commercially viable product without being 'bubblegum pop.'

Funky grooves drive tracks like 'Chalk on a wall' and 'No need to sleep', where the acoustic vibe of the guitar compliments the drums. Also appears on the fun and upbeat 'I need a shower' and the more ska-funk driven 'Never Better.' He gives his music space by providing solos, such as the guitar solo on 'Chalk on a wall' and the piano section on 'No need to sleep'. The sound is stripped back and focuses on live instrumentation, although 'Don't take me higher' is more electronic, with some tribal African elements in the vocals and drum rhythm.

Lyrically his songs are very diverse. 'I need a shower' discusses getting out of bed and cleaning up the shame of the previous day; 'I need a shower, I want to wash my sins away'. I love how catchy that song is, which includes a scatting section. 'Christ and Science' is a positive comment on how its important to live life rather than worry about the right answers; it's ok to be scared, to be afraid, to live the life in front of you'. I found 'Three Heartbeats' to be a touching song about family coming together through marriage and a child; 'I'll be your fool, and a honest woman I'll make of you'. 

Although this album has a clear sound, he has included lyrical and rhythmic diversity, as well as mixing rhythmic guitar patterns with more finger-picking styles such as in 'The Gambler' and 'Christ and Science.' Overall this is a great body of work showcasing his musical prowess.

Video of his song 'Chalk on a wall'

Listen to the album here: https://seangaffney.bandcamp.com/releases

Website: https://www.seangaffney.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSeanGaffneyBand/