Chris St John’s third LP showcases the song-writer’s prowess like never before. A jangling and emotive experience populated with tunes that showcase the artist’s vocals, guitar chops, and lyrical talents, the folk pop record is a truly immersive listening session. Every tune is powered by a strong and fundamental emotional core that more often than not traverses the pitfalls and journey of love and relationships, both familial and friendly. It’s a thoroughly pleasurable and easy listening experience, with each tune carrying this innate peacefulness to it that’s able to bring you to a sense of calm and introspection when things are moving too fast around you.
Opening with ‘Lost Without Your Love’, Chris St John gets you interested with an intricate yet effortlessly memorable acoustic riff. The song so vividly and emotionally captures the sheer vulnerabilities of completely opening yourself up to another person, sharing that sentiment of how falling in love leaves you so trapped and lost in its absence. ‘Oh Papa’ is immediately relatable to anyone who has lost their father, a teary and emotional performance reminiscing about the dad who shaped you today. Equipped with a sizzling and expressive electric riff, it’s a great intertwining of traditional alternative rock elements alongside pop sounds. In each way, these eight tracks all bring out a different format and style of rock and folk with more complete and sheened pop melodies through and through.
The album was cut at Darkhorse and Sound Emporium studios in Nashville, with some of Music City’s most renowned session musicians. For any devout Americana fans looking to find some emotionally powerful music, ‘When Dreams End’ is bound to keep you hooked.