Album Review: Loving – If I Am Only My Thoughts

Deep thoughts with relaxing sounds

If I Am Only My Thoughts is not only Loving’s new album but it is the folk trio’s debut album. For people who might not know Loving quiet yet, the band consists of the two brothers Lucas and Jesse Henderson and David Parry. It is not particularly easy to find information about the folk group, but the music speaks for itself. The album offers easy breezy melodies that will lead to a positive and mellow mood, for most listeners. Every once in a while, the songs sound like early folk bands, like Simon & Garfunkel, which is very pleasant for fans of the folk genre.

The first song, “Visions,” was previously released by the band. It might not be so easy to get the best sense out of its lyrics, but the melody itself has the ability to set a wonderful mood for the listeners. “Visions” focuses on everyone’s own desires in life, which can lead to a good base to think for the audience. Folk music should be able to inspire its audience to see the bigger picture and question things. “Only She Knows” starts off with a slow piano before uniting with a quiet lonely guitar. This song especially reminds of the legendary duo Simon & Garfunkel, yet while staying original and inspiring. The guitar especially leads to a warm feeling and a relaxed atmosphere. The band gets much more philosophical with “If I Am Only My Thoughts”.  \People might remember the famous quote, “I think, therefore I am,” by Rene Descartes and the song reflects that philosophy well.

“January” is a nice little instrumental piece that simultaneously offers the listeners peace, with soft violins and a piano in the background. The following song, “Lately in Another Time” almost feels a little melancholic and sad, especially because of the lonely and distant piano. “A Mirror for Two Voices,” feels like it was playing on an old record player, even if the audience listens to it on high definition speakers. This production gives the song an amazing vintage touch, which combined with the general style of the album, takes the listener back to an easier time. The song’s sound, in general, is very psychedelic and the longer outro proves how wonderful the song was put together. The song is definitely a highlight on the album. “Nihilist Kite Flyer,” is full of self-reflection and confusion, this might inspire the title of the track. All in all, the song hits deep and shows the philosophic side of Loving once again.

The moon is so important to our lives on earth, and yet sometimes people forget it. “Simple Moon” represents this very well. It’s a little easy to drift away while listening to it and to think about life and the moon. “Write a River” follows right after “Simple Moon” and for a second, with a quick glance, it looks like the song is called “Moon River.” But even though it’s not the classic “Moon River” sung by Audrey Hepburn, “Write a River” impresses with a great sound. Listeners get another break from vocals with “Growing Flowers by Candlelight,” another instrumental piece. The last song on the album, “Strange to Yourself” opens with a big question “Are you a Stranger to Yourself/ do you wonder if your thoughts belong to yourself?” and the questions keep ongoing. For listeners who care a lot about the lyrics, this song definitely hits well and will lead to even deeper thoughts.

If I Am Only My Thoughts gets incredible deep with its lyrics but stays smooth with its sounds. The folk trio was able to offer their fans something out of the ordinary. Most of the album doesn’t sound like it is from this century and that is something, fans of folk music can appreciate.

Alison Alber: Born and raised in Germany, I'm currently a multimedia journalism student at the University of Texas at El Paso. I enjoy writing about music as much as listening to it.
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