by Maria Lewczyk (@mclewczyk)
It’s rare that an album can leave you speechless. In the case of Eclipse, the speechlessness comes from the fact that you’re entirely overwhelmed by what you’re listening to. At first I thought it was the melodies of the violin weaving in and out of the tracks, like the musical version of physical textures. Then, I thought it had to be the ambience of the dream pop noise in the back of the track–with the notes and steel guitar sweeps fading in and out like ripples in a pond. All similes aside, maybe the power of Eclipse lies in its ability to be so damn honest, and transparently relatable. The easy answer is that it’s all of the above, but the more difficult thing to identify is why it hits so hard.
Addy is Adam Watkins, originally from Richmond, VA. Although previous releases are available on Bandcamp and other streaming services, nothing quite compares to the majesty of Eclipse. The DIY presence is obviously noted, with references to similar bedroom-pop acts like (Sandy) Alex G, Hovvdy and Field Medic inevitable. However, each of these artists are unique in their own respects, and have merit in all of their work as individuals–and addy is no exception. From the Casio-sequenced drum hooks that sprinkle each track on the album to the delicate treatment of every sound as if they were blades of grass, Eclipse re-introduces alt country in a way that we haven’t seen in years. The inclusion of sirens and pitch shifts with sustained delay might imitate guitars, but the musical manipulation instead creates a more visceral dream pop version of a country song.
Aside from how the album actually sounds, it’s important to notice how it makes you feel. For me, it’s like a memory. The slight country twang on the ends of notes reminds me of my roots in Georgia and South Carolina, and how my family would swing the ends of their sentences depending on their mood. The horns, strings and piano remind me of my childhood, when I would play first level songs on the old piano in my grandparent’s house while my younger cousins practiced their violin accompaniments. The lyrics remind me of kindness and forgiveness–and the numerous journal entries I would write at night by candlelight about needing to be more kind to myself. If an album has the power to transport you back into another place (or multiple places in time), it should be held special and deemed important. For me, Eclipse is just that sort of time capsule.
addy is whimsical, brave and reflective – Eclipse shows the abilities of human emotion and how hope and growth can translate into an album that is so tenderly sweet.