From the first twang of strings in ‘Bobbi’s Song’, Ahthony Lai’s joyous energy and infectious optimism has you grinning even on the most gloomy of days. His indie folk LP, ‘Take Me with You’, is a host to a multitude of influences that span traditional folk to bluegrass to soppy singer-songwriter tunes. He’s got a sincerity and penchant for penning tunes that are innately addictive but grounded in a song-writing purity intrinsic to folk. Recorded in its entirety in Lai’s home studio, the album’s raw appeal lies in the comfort of each tune, its stripped back simplicity. And although there is an outward feeling that the album isn’t too complicated, there’s an innate dexterity required to use a minimal arrangement to sound as accomplished as Take Me with You does.
Take a tune like ‘It Isn’t Easy’, its chords are deceptively simple. Lai’s vocals here sound straight out of the most emotional scene of an indie rom-com, where the protagonists are facing some sort of external adversity that prevents them from getting together. Entirely acoustic dominant, the subtle choir and vocal harmonisation that sits in the background gives it an additional layer. The solo in the song’s second half is perhaps the most evocative section in the entire album.
Others like ‘Sweet Lisa Hazel Eyes’ are more instantly joyful. With drums in gear from the very first second and a folksy and cheerful verse, the song’s reminiscent to me of a CSNY record. That’s where Lai’s at his best in my ears, lifting and placing a modern spin on the great folk song structures and styles of the 1960s. I kid you not, as I’m writing this piece, the thought of CSNY occurred to me as Sweet Lisa Hazel Eyes was playing. Partially for the song itself, but more so for the name that seems an obvious homage to the epic ‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes’. And, in a moment that had me grinning to ear, Lai even namedrops them in one of the song’s lyrics!
The album’s zenith comes to me on Daydream. A slightly longer, more progressive, and moodily melancholic piece, it’s a welcome shift in the record. It’s got an air of winter to it, a hopefulness and solace that Lai’s able to transport you to with his composition.
As far as folk records in 2021 go, you won’t find many as emotive, exciting, and eclectic as Take Me with You. Definitely, give it a listen.