Julius Way - The Husk
Julius Way, musical project of Matthew Adams, is a fascinating venture into dreamlike-folk. Incorporating guitars, trumpets, pianos, cellos and drums; The Husk marvellously makes use of its wide range of instrumentation and vocals. While the melodies may be relatively basic, instrumentally they are varied and brimming with personality.
Beautiful vocals weave in and out throughout the instrumentally strong track One, as well as during various points throughout the album. Some pop songs contain a rather simple pop-melody progression, though thankfully they are expanded upon instrumentally in an incredibly lush and varied manner, such as in Go In and Stay Near Me. These sections breath much-needed life into the album. Furthermore, the more Adams lets the instrumentation breathe, the more engaging his tracks become. That’s not to say he isn’t capable of achieving the best of both words, as demonstrated in the absolutely downright stunning track Unearthed.
Part of The Husk’s problem is its desire to be accessible, though; sometimes a little roughness can make an artist seem more down to Earth. Moreover, there is a favouritism towards pop structures, which restricts Adams masterful guitar-plucking skills. While the female vocals are lovely, they sometimes get in the way of the emotion, such as during tracks Grow and Setting Sun - tracks that may have benefited from a more subdue, soft-spoken delivery (in line of Leonard Cohen).
Many of its problems can be forgiven for a debut effort, though; as The Husk is overflowing with polish and personality. The Husk boasts the child-like wonder of Joanna Newsom’s debut The Milk Eyed Mender, while simultaneously cultivating a personality of its own. The instrumentation is sharp, and the emotion is pure. Where Julius Way could improve is in its arrangments; they demand to be longer and more fleshed out. The album is a testament to Adams’ skill and one can only hope he continues to expand upon his compositions in future.
Great
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