All the Not So Gentle Reminders opens with “Maybe It Was All A Dream”—consisting of a hazy synth line over a subdued drum machine, layered with orchestral flourishes and David Ramirez’s barely intelligible vocals. The Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter’s own mother punctuates the ending, urging “David … David … It’s time to get up.”
Indeed, Ramirez does exactly that. The next track, the mid-tempo anthem “Waiting for the Dust to Settle,” reveals the man’s sixth album as his most exuberant, unencumbered record yet. Every song stands on its own, even as recurring themes of nostalgia, hope and fleeting romance flit in and out. The cinematic semi-autobiographical “Music Man” recalls the moment Ramirez as a boy decided what he wanted to do with the rest of his life (hint: it involved a Sony Walkman), while the love song “Twin Sized Beds” simmers and stirs with dark pop sensibilities before boiling over into a free-jazz flurry. All the Not So Gentle Reminders lives up to its title, reminding listeners they sometimes need to dig a little deeper to find musical gems like this one.
David Ramirez will open for Dylan LeBlanc at Shank Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 29; All the Not So Gentle Reminders will be released March 21.
Get All the Not So Gentle Reminders at Amazon here.
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