In the realm of singer/songwriter folk-pop there’s a lot of mundanity. Traditional structures and mostly unchanged vocals are common culprits, resulting in a sound that can be mundane despite production polish. It’s these common issues that make Joel Ansett’s music particularly impressive; his singer/songwriter folk-laden approach isn’t going to make waves on its own, but Ansett does his craft so exceedingly well that it’s hard not to take note. His vocals are reminiscent of John Mayer’s softer, more radio-focused efforts, with a hook-laden songwriting approach — one that helped him finish as a finalist in the 2013 International Songwriting Competition. Speaking of accolades, his new album – The Nature of Us – earned 5th place honors in the 2015 Rocky Mountain Folk Festival Songwriter Showcase. Ansett has one of the best takes on singer/songwriter folk-pop I’ve heard in awhile.
One of the highlights off that release is the beautiful “Already in Love”, a track that also shows Ansett’s R&B tendencies – particularly when his voice ascends from the Mayer-like lushness to more R&B-laden expressive emotion around 02:30. The lyrics, a simple tale of love’s mind being made up, allow the easy-flowing and soft melody to take center stage alongside Ansett’s technically faultless vocals. I’m quite a fan of “Already In Love” and Ansett’s overall approach. Purchase The Nature of Us here.
