Dropping the bass means something else for Chris Stowe; he has traded his four-string in for a six-string on his A-F Records solo debut “Hollow“. Does he know what to do with those two extra strings? Find out and read our review below.
“Hollow” starts out with the bluesy “Blood Drinkers” which immediately sets the tone. It is not all smiles and sunshine, and Stowe knows exactly how to express it in words. Like in “Sometimes They Give Us Beer For Free”, a song about life on tour. Without the glamour and without pulling punches, he sings about his tour experience: “I’m scared that I’ll screw up and ruin the songs, and my haircut looks stupid, those girls in the corner they don’t like my band, and I think that they’re laughing at how awkward I am.” But even through it all he stays optimistic: “I’m just complaining, I love singing song, and sometimes they give us beer for free.”
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Stowe’s style reminds of The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon, taking the trouble in situations and always seeing something positive in it. As if singing about it makes his depression, pain, and his fear of failing dissolve into thin air. The last song on “Hollow”, “I Just Miss Her When I’m Drinking”, already shows what the song is about. No matter how much time passes, love does not die quickly.
The songs on “Hollow” could very easily be put on as comfortable background music, but only when you really listen to it, you will discover the true beauty of Stowe’s songs. Not only will you appreciate them more, you will also understand Stowe a whole lot better too.
★★★★★/5
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