Marine-Turned-Musician Impresses With Debut EP
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
With ample guitar picking, thumping bass lines, and scruffy vocals to tie it all together, former Marine-turned-musician Josiah Atchley has provided listeners with a debut EP to be remembered.
While the first track fools you with such an island-inspired melody, the following four tracks don’t specifically pursue the same route, though his vocals and rhythmic song structure pr
ovide a continuously soulful ambiance. Atchley’s vocals are warm and welcoming, a trait that, along with his upbeat melodies, allows his music to be immediately contagious.
Though it’s only his freshman project, it certainly doesn’t sound like it. Atchley is able to produce rich compositions and lyrics that vary between lighthearted and introspective. By doing so, he gives listeners a taste of both his playful and his more pensive sides.
The soothing island groove “One Time” sets you up for the rest of the album by putting you in a mellow mood. “Otherside,” which appears next, is one of the EP’s most reflective pieces. Atchley sings, “I just wanna know what’s waiting for me when I die, and is this life worth living or am I just wasting time?” “Prisoner of Life” follows along the same vein, talking about the various poisons and toxins in life that can ultimately lead to a person’s demise.
The EP’s title track sums up the musician’s disposition on life, and we can assume this outlook reflects on his music as well. He sings, “I’m a smooth-talking son of a gun; I just wanna have fun.” This 24 year-old may be a smooth-talker, but there’s also truth to his words, no matter what he might be singing about.
Though these five tracks are infused with a number of musical ideas, it never once strays off the beaten path in terms of musical prowess. Atchley has a knack for the musical, and he proves that in a mere five tracks.
A group of guys called The Greater Good serve as backing for the musician, and the EP was recorded at Lakeside Studios by Grammy nominated producer Travis Wyrick. With these aspects combined together, Atchley was granted the ability to create quite an impressive EP to kick start his musical résumé. This EP hints at the fact that the future might hold great things for the musician as his talent begins to grow and mature.
