Billy Wilson | New York Love (single)

Family Average: 4/7

New york Billy Wilson loves you, but your bringing him down. Hey remember when LCD soundsystem broke up? And then they had the gaul to just come back together, like we were all going to forget going to that huge last show and crying all over eachother? Yeah me neither. Billy Wilson has got a lot of heart and soul. He plays as smooth as butter, and his song here will make you feel all warm in these terrible cold days.

You know what else could warm you up? This lovely electric face mask from the 80’s.

Listen along on Spotify and read on to find out:

I like the shaking quality to his voice and that guitar is so darn pretty, the layers and layers of it. The words aren’t too profound but the way they fall in with the guitar is delightful, makes me feel alright.

To contradict myself, I did enjoy the lines “sharing secrets with the trees.”

This song brings me back to the stuff that used to be played 100s of times more than any other song on my iPod in middle/high school cus that beauty is just addicting, you wanna listen again once it ends.

What it also has in common with that music though is that it doesn’t really shake things up, it's a bit generic. But this is still good. I’m a fan of all of those voice cracks and emotion.

4/7

Hey how did the guy who brings out a guitar at a party get inside my computer? All jokes aside this is some darn pretty music. Undoubtedly it will have everyone in the room swaying their heads, and holding hands on their chests while mouthing the lyrics. If this music is on people are going to enjoy it.

I would rather spend time hearing something a little more divisive. Something that might grate others, or take a risk that doesn’t pay off. Like I said before this is going to appeal to tons of people. It has elements of romance, a city people recognize, and some acoustic guitar strumming. All the key ingredients that will make a bunch of people like this tune are in it. I get a little put off by how safe it is.

That said this is still a competently produced piece of music. On the surface, the sound is clean and balanced. Each portion of the song seems to have appropriate presence from the “Oooh Ooohs’” to the smooth little guitar solo. Everything was done by the book, and that is alright.

3/7

Alright so yeah this song does feel nice. I appreciate that it has some depth to it. There’s a few layers of guitars, some drums, and even I think a xylophone thrown in there every so often. It’s all ordered together neatly and arranged so that they don’t just blur into each other. Rather than staying flat, the song has its highs and lows. Music swells in certain parts and backs off in others to give your ears a nice change of pace. While everything works together as it should, this pro also doubles as a con. There’s not much to help it stand out from the rest of the alternative crowd. It wouldn’t be hard to mistake this song as coming from another similar artist. While the singer’s voice is solid and has a very earthy sound to it, it stayed in pretty much the same range the whole song. It could have done with just a bit more changeup or adjustment of inflection.
This track is non-invasive, calming, a bit melancholy, but ultimately safe. It just needs something substantial to help define it. Maybe play up the background instruments more or push the vocals. All of the technical aspects are there, it just needs a bit more spirit.

4/7

Is Billy okay?! His voice sounds awful shaky, especially in the beginning there! Just kidding, sorta. I get that its for some kind of effect but I don’t think it added anything to an otherwise very pleasant track.

I’m getting flashbacks of early John Mayer, in the best kinds of ways. Sweet, loverboy lyrics (I am a sucker for any song that mentions shopping carts romantically). The guitar solo especially reminded me of a younger, less jaded John Mayer.

It doesn’t take long for this song to win you over. It’s nostalgic yet new. It’s something that this 27 year old rather appreciated at the end of the day cuddling with her roommate (ehem...boyfriend) on the couch. <3 <3 <3

5/7