Red Porch Kid
Rocketship
Reviewed by: Tiffany Taylor
Red Porch Kid is the solo moniker of Michael Stovall (Jackson Jones), a musician/producer based in Nashville, Tennessee. Rocketship is the first LP from Stovall and it is an ambient, sweet collection of tunes that is calming and light. Every instrument featured on the album was performed by Stovall himself in his apartment; everything came out decently well given that Stovall is a producer, so he mixed and engineered the album himself.
Opening with a simple intro, the album is put into perspective and given an outline for how the rest of the trip is going to go. Rocketship is so refreshing, it distracts the mind from the chaos we are being currently bombarded with in life. Within the introduction and onto the first main track “Waitin’ on Something”, listeners can already be relaxed and prepared to be taken away, even if for just a half hour. The light guitar melodies are absolutely necessary especially when accompanied by Stovall’s bright, yet soulful voice. This album is a great backdrop for the workplace or at home while cooking dinner, or even a long car ride; there is truly no place where it does not fit.
“Minor Hill” is a bit more sped up compared to the first time, which shows the direction of the album and its steady pace. Stovall briefly reminds me of an early John Mayer, especially with vocals; however there is nothing too flashy that makes him much of a standout. “Good Heart” is an awesome acoustic driven track that has indie folk written all over it. As we get closer to the middle of the album, I have found it important to pay attention the lyrical content. This song really has a nice base and has real poetic lines like “I don’t see the world like I’m supposed to.” This track really showcases the diversity Red Porch Kid can display.
“Song For Lana” clicks on and it embodies the ambient qualities that I mentioned earlier in the beginning. This track ended up being one of my favorites because it lingers in the air like clouds of smoke, from the vocals to the drawn out guitar notes, it is really nice. Although there is nothing super crazy good about Stovall’s music, there is a certain quality about it that makes it extremely listenable for ears of all different genres. There is something to be appreciated about an artist that can reach multiple different individuals with differing tastes. “The Act of Disappearing” has a sort of a dissonant quality to it that is different than anything else on the album; again he is really showing his diversity with the change in mood and harmonies, especially given that this track is mainly an instrumental.
As we hit the end of the album, things have ended on a much more somber note than I expected them too. “Hangin’ Around” is a perfect example of that with sheer desperation in the voice and acoustic guitar carrying him. I can still hear “I’m too far gone” playing in my ears even long after the song had shut off. “Dream #31” ends the album with six minutes of pretty melodies and it brings everything full circle back with the intro. Overall Red Porch Kid created an album that was needed this winter. It is airy and calming, but sad and dark too. He has the ability to create music that reaches the masses and I believe if people gave this album a chance, there would be at least one track that would swoon your heart.
Rating: Listenable
