For those who are in need of a bluesy touch of moody, intimate romance, allow me to introduce you to David Packham. Born and bred in Shoreham-by-Sea, David Packham is not only a soulful singer-songwriter and guitarist, but he is also a savant of suave, smooth soundscapes, and that is exactly what I want to show you today. Namely, I want to show you ‘The Wedding Dance,’ a 10-track debut album that is as mellifluously rich as it is romantically tender.
The creation of ‘The Wedding Dance’ is steeped in a degree of homespun charm and nostalgia-inspiring camaraderie. You see, with vintage gear and familiar bandmates Dave Coomber (bass) and Benny Mead (drums), ‘The Wedding Dance’ went from a collection of beautifully written songs to a polished, lover-beguiling sunset of sound in less than two days. This album follows a long hiatus from music for David Packham, so the question we now face is: Is the magic still there? Let’s find out.
The Wedding Dance
The first track that I simply have to talk to you about is none other than the first song to feature on the album, ‘And I Love Her.’ The intro to this track simply oozes unwavering devotion in everything from the meltingly slow tempo to the sweet-talking honey-drips of the guitar to the debonair drumbeats. Everything about the instrumental harmonies in this track screams candlelit passion.
When Packham’s vocals join this gorgeous rose-petalled tapestry, it’s nothing short of magic. His tender timbre and suave talk-singing delivery are charmingly aromatic, effusing a fragrance of timelessness in its air of nostalgia and old-school love. His gentle performance and the moody croons of the bass beautifully contrast with the occasional sharper twangs of the guitar, creating this aura of spontaneity, which, of course, only makes the track more intimate.
There are a couple of lyrics that perfectly sum up the movie-esque finish that this song wears so well, and it’s ‘But I don’t know why / How I love her.’ Every element of this song mimics artisanal affection, and they perfectly paint a picture of a heart that has uncontrollably become smitten with another.
And that instrumental break…the guitar ebbs and flows like it’s the first and last time it’s spoken of love. What a way to introduce us to the album!
The next track I want to talk about is ‘Every Now and Then,’ a track that you can tell from the first ten seconds has shed some of the charismatic glamour of ‘And I Love Her’ for the sake of softness and vulnerability. Leading you onto a glistening, lonely beach of almost poignant tranquillity, the guitar shyly twinkles across the texture of the track. There’s an air of elusiveness that surrounds the soft dynamics of the instrumentals, and it makes you feel as if you’re daydreaming about someone you miss or long for.
To complement the gorgeousness of the glass-fragile string work, David Packham’s vocals glow like a morning sun peeking through the peacefully drifting clouds. Unlike in ‘And I Love Her,’ Packham’s voice adorns this soothing breathiness that makes it seem like the entire texture of the track is simply floating aimlessly on the breeze. The muted near-pulse of the drums is the perfect cherry on top of this melody, a melody that has the same delicate nature as ‘Colors’ by Amos Lee.
Towards the latter half of the track, you also get to hear both Packham’s vocals and the guitar soar, but in two very different ways. In the case of Packham’s vocals, there is a surge of energy that feels like a summery gust that guides the feather-like melody up towards the skyline. On the other hand, with the guitar, it feels like a spill of sudden, desperate weeping, but not the sorrowful sort. This type of emotional eruption sounds as if it stems from the most motivating force of hope that exists. Needless to say, both are outstanding.
The last track that I’d like to show you is ‘Magic Marker,’ another track that inspires feelings of heart-calming peace. That said, the difference between ‘Magic Marker’ and ‘Every Now and Then’ is that there is a very audible sense of wanderlust and adventure, especially in the way that the guitar skips from one note to the next as if it were skipping over stepping stones in a hidden forest. I love that there is a song in this album that celebrates that feeling of awe-inspiring adventure; after all, is the excitement of exploring something new not a massive part of love?
Of course, Packham’s vocals are just as beautifully compassionate in this track as the others. His warm-hearted delivery adds a hint of innocence to the melody that only reinforces the idea that the beauty of love also encompasses your ability to reawaken your beloved’s yearning for venturesome wonder.
The fellowship between Packham’s vocals and the nimble string work instantly transported me to an image of an isolated lake in the autumnal sunshine, and right on the bank, you’d find two people talking, both unaware of how the other feels towards them. In other words, this song would effortlessly complete a scene in a romantic movie montage of two people learning how to fall in love. Amazingly, I didn’t expect to encounter a song that delved into this side of love, but the fact that it’s a part of ‘The Wedding Dance’ shows that David Packham knows how to make you feel every one of love’s facets, even if you haven’t experienced them yourself.
Ultimately, if these three songs alone don’t convince you to immediately rush to listen to the entire album, I really don’t know what will! Every single track shines with a distinctly different beauty, and all of them have the ability to melt your heart.
Source: https://www.instagram.com/davepackhammusic
ALT: An achromatic closeup of bluesy-rock vocalist and guitarist David Packham performing with his guitar.
David Packham
We have Packham’s friend Nathan to thank for both ‘The Wedding Dance’ and his return to the Shoreham/Brighton music scene. Thanks to Nathan’s nudge, Packham’s passion found fresh life, and his debut album transformed from a series of solo loop pedal performances into the magic that we’ve just heard.
But what was David Packham doing before his break? Well, back in the day, his talent as a musician allowed him to tour both the UK and the US with iconic ska bands, such as The Beat, The Selector, and Bad Manners. It was only when a much-needed break was on the horizon that he discovered a new avenue for his voice to shine through in the loop pedal.
Since then, David Packham has gone on to fall straight back into the energetic gravity of live performances. From wowing crowds at The Duke of Wellington bar as he supported The Rapports to jamming with his friends at The Crabtree to dominating the open mic at The Bridge Shoreham, David Packham is undoubtedly back in action! I wonder what the future has in store for him…
‘The Wedding Dance’ is out now and available to listen to across all major streaming platforms!
Till next time!