We're inviting you to jump into the dynamic musical world of Akron, Ohio-based singer-songwriter and recording artist Davey Squires' latest 9-track album, 'California 99.' Davey Squires' versatile stylings never fail to impress us. He's best known for carving a unique sound of his own, spanning genres like jazz, rock, pop, and blues. Now, he takes that brilliant blend one step further with a new record, 'California 99.'
The record kicks off with the introductory, interlude type-piece, "Prelude," which softly and soulfully introduces us to Davey Squires' soothing, jazzy sounds. This warm intro track leaps into the second piece and title track, 'California 99,' where we get to hear Squires' powerful vocal stylings.
He takes this song to ramp up the groovy west coast energy with soft rock vibes. He continues that energy and groove into track number three, "Catalina's (Bar & Grill)." This song is especially unique, considering it playfully describes west coast party life with added electronic synths for a burst of modernity.
Slowing things down with track four, "Don't Stay Too Long," Davey Squires turns things down a notch with his crooning vocals and jazzy instrumentals. While reminding us not to overstay our welcome in sunny LA, we move into the next tune, "Thermopolis."
This atmospheric and gentle tune shimmers open with radiance. As we drift into a deftly groovy and danceable instrumental, Squires expresses looking for a place to lay his head just west of Casper.
Traveling into the lush "Garden," the album's sixth track glimmers and gleams while Davey Squires sings of heading over to the garden and wanting to pick some roses to cheer up his lover.
The album's rich atmosphere expands on track number seven, "Perfect Cloudy Day." As Davey Squires' crooning vocals expand on seeing his life pass like a warm summer day, he takes his time to slowly develop the instrumentals into this cinematic and dynamic space. This eight-minute tune might just be our favorite off the new record.
In need of an "Airport Lullaby?" Find your solace in Davey Squires' eighth track, a true stunner. This is another jazzy, cinematic, and nostalgic listening experience that perfectly sets the going-home theme after an extraordinary California vacay.
Reaching the album's ninth and final track, "Radio Silence," Squires' heavy piano melodies pour through our speakers while setting the song's lush and tender tone. His warm and spirited vocals perfectly close the record with boundless emotion while singing of finding a friend in the radio's silence. This short outro was the perfect serving of organic and sonic emotion, closing our listening experience on a cohesive and coming-full-circle note.
We couldn't take our ears off Davey Squires' new 9-track album, 'California 99.' Not only does the Akron-based artist take us through one hell of a Californian journey, but the emotions, friends, and experiences that come with it.
Do yourself a favor and check out Davey Squires' album, 'California 99,' now available on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome back to BuzzMusic, Davey Squires. What a conceptual and rich listening experience you've provided with your recent album, 'California 99'? What inspired this vacation-like album?
Mostly what inspired this album was my trips out west to Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, and of course California. There’s a feeling of excited loneliness when you go out there and travel, especially along with the more desolate places in Nevada and Montana. Something that caused me to look at the experiences out there more closely.
Did you work entirely solo when creating the instrumentals and production for the album 'California 99'? What was your creative process like?
This was the first album I truly played all the parts, mixed, and mastered myself, though my band and I have been doing these songs live for years now so I had an idea going into recording what I wanted it to sound like. I think the tracklisting came together nicely with most of the songs being mid to fast-tempo songs, but all having different grooves to them.
What sort of scenes did you want to paint in the listener's mind when experiencing the record, 'California 99?'
The lyrics pretty much describe the scenes of different towns and cities in the West, but as a whole I want the listener to think of this album as a tour or vacation. Each song is about the new city you play at, meeting new people, and experiencing new lives.
Which song are you most proud of from 'California 99,' and why?
I really like the way orchestrally “Airport Lullaby” turned out. I think it’s a good ending to the album.
How does the 'California 99' album represent you? What can new listeners learn about you when taking a listen?
Lately, I’ve been getting into more of a classical style on the production side, using more string sections than guitars and adding more orchestral percussion parts. I really liked this change for ‘California 99’ because it makes it sound more like a soundtrack or a musical and that really connects all these songs and places together for me. I hope these songs can connect to the listener in some sort of way, whether it be painting a picture or a personal memory.
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