Brock Davis – Everyday Miracle
“… there’s a beauty and power in wrestling with the mystery of life, and in the yearning for there to be something bigger than ourselves. I don’t claim to know what’s out there, but I’m fascinated by songs about a greater purpose in life, like love and art, that try to answer the essential question of why we are here.”
It’s not often that you find a positivity-packed album labeled as “agnostic gospel,” but that’s exactly what Santa Cruz-based singer/songwriter Brock Davis has created on his latest offering, the 13-song Everyday Miracle. Backed by a smattering of world-renowned, Nashville-based session artists, Davis’ work is a blend of folk, country, rock, and pop stylings with a refreshing and uplifting message. Subtitled Backstage Sessions – Part 1, these 13 songs consist of the first half (!) of a set of songs that Davis laid down over a grueling two-day recording session. Prolific, positive, and pop-minded, Everyday Miracle is a great album to put on if you need a little pick-me-up.
Opening track “Everyday Miracle” introduces the listener to the hallmarks of Davis’ music. A sighing steel guitar moans overtop a lovely, plucked acoustic guitar, and Davis’ soulful vocals lay down a longing but hopeful vibe. The Nashville crew really helps to take “Miracle” to the next level – a four-on-the-floor drumbeat kicks off the chorus, with an ultra-tight tambourine track adding a brightness and pop to the music’s unbreakable backbone. The musician in me appreciates the subtleties that Davis & co. have lovingly peppered into these tracks – see the little bass lick around the 1:20 mark. As Davis’ musings ring out with imagery of eagles and smiling children, I can’t help but think… This sounds like America. See below:
“We can search the stars and skies to find a sign or reason why
Looking for some kind of meaning in this world
I see it in the smile of a little child, I see it in the eagle high and wild
It’s an everyday miracle.”
Being fully transparent, I’m typically more of an “absolutely soul crushing, emotionally gripping, bring you to tears with sadness” song kind of guy… But Brock’s positivity is surprisingly infectious and his songs go down so smoothly. Track two, “Keep On” encourages the listener to keep on keeping on and drives home the point that you don’t have to shoulder your burdens alone. “I’ll Always Be Your Dad” is a heart-on-your-sleeve ode to a child from the perspective of a divorced dad who finds someone new – an oddly specific and completely relatable sentiment that makes me wonder why I’ve never heard another song quite like it. Conversely, “Give Forgiveness” is from the lens of a child watching a parent fighting a losing battle with alcoholism. It’s cathartic, it’s heartfelt, and most of all, it’s sincere – Davis’ isn’t crafting complicated metaphors, but there’s strength in the simplicity of his straightforward songwriting. Brock is singing from a place of truth – a non-fictional approach that comes through his songs in a very tangible way… About halfway through the album, I realized I’m really rooting for him (and starting to think that I should start rooting for myself a bit more too).
Falling somewhere on the spectrum between the spiritual pop rock of Switchfoot and peak, “Amazed” era Lonestar, there’s lots to dig into on Everyday Miracle. Some other highlights include the plucky, distorted fun of “It Takes Just One;” the tailor-made-for-weddings-especially-if-your-name-is-Angela piano ballad “Angela (Please Say Yes);” and the follow-up album closer “My Promise To You,” where Davis proclaims his romantic intentions downright perfectly.
The next time you’re feeling down on yourself, do yourself a solid and put on Brock’s latest album. Everyday Miracle is out July 26th via Raintown Records – get a nice little preview via the title-track embed below.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna