Gavriel – What I’ve Found (2020)
Inspiration can be found at any moment in every aspect of life. These everyday events have inspired Gavriel and formed the basis of his new album What I’ve Found. Some of the songs on the album draw on his recent marriage while others take elements from his year spent abroad. They combine to create a kaleidoscope of everyday emotions and experiences.
The personal nature of these songs shines through as Gavriel does all the guitar and vocals as well as some of the piano. However, certain aspects have been outsourced to Richie Cannata and his colleagues to handle. This does not take anything away from his fresh sound which forms the foundation of each song.
The album starts with ‘Blue’, one of the songs on the album about Gavriel’s relationship with his wife. To draw you in, there is a gentle guitar that leads you to his crooning vocals. There is a catchy beat to this song that you can’t help but get involved in. The lyrics are very sweet and sentimental which combines wonderfully with the light piano notes that come and go.
‘Warm Welcome’ has a slower guitar-driven melody, but there is something captivating about it. The vocals on this track have a depth to them that creeps along your ears. This is a more laid-back song, but there is something wistful about it. The imagery of the lyrics has a hazy feeling to it and there is an almost sense of longing within the vocal performance.
There is a different vibe to ‘Six Whole Years’ as everything seems to take a sadder tone. There is a sombre note to the melody before it picks up for the chorus. At this point, the song becomes a bit more liberating as there is a celebration of breaking free. While there is a liberating feeling, the sombre notes remain in the verses. It is a very interesting track and my favourite on the album.
‘Penny’ takes a different turn as it looks at careers instead of other aspects of home and life. The piano lines of this song are wonderful to listen to. They start out understated as the lyrics detail a stalled career. However, they pick up and have this almost lively vibe to them as the story of the song moves forward. There is something very motivating about this song that makes you feel like you can move onto something more.
The next track is ‘I Write a Song’ which gives you an insight into the inner workings of Gavriel. It returns to the guitar-driven melody, but there is a shuffling drum that grabs your attention. The vocals on this song have a sense of melancholy to them, but they are not overly depressing. The performance moves you through the emotions of the song as the drum propels you.
Heading back to his relationship with his wife, ‘It’s You’ brings back the sweetness of ‘Blue’. However, there is a lack of sentimentality in this song, but it is a wonderful love song. The lyrics lay out all the things he loves about her. The melody is soft and allows you to float along his engaging vocals.
‘Peace’ is full of questions without any answers. The guitar and drums of this track have a meditative vibe to them while Gavriel’s vocals are powerful. There is an easiness to this song that you can get lost in without realising it. There is also something cathartic about the song that makes you feel good.
The album ends with ‘Meteors’ which has a very jazzy feeling to it. There is this groovy vibe to the melody that makes the lyrics stand out. As you are drawn into the jazzy beat, the lyrics look for common ground in an argument. Gavriel’s vocals are amazing on this song and work so well with the jazz-based melody. There are these powerful moments when you can’t help but be drawn into his vocals before the horns take over.
Taking inspiration from love, careers and arguments, Gavriel gently leads you through stories of everyday moments in What I’ve Found. Each song on the album has a unique flavour, but they all carry a common thread. There is something about his vocals that you can’t shake whether they shine in guitar-driven melodies or a hazy jazzy beat.
Find out more about Gavriel on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
