Colby Dix puts his talent and experience front and center on his first standalone album, i am. it is. you should be. Showcasing his singing and songwriting abilities, Dix conveys deep emotion through his acoustic guitar and his humbled, yet steadfast vocals. Having grown up in Southern Vermont, Colby showed early musical promise and was proficient with multiple instruments at an early age.
Returning to guitar and finding his way to Berklee College of Music in Boston, he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Production & Engineering and then spent time on the road with national artists such as Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley, Matt & Kim, Sonia Kitchell, Jazz Mandolin Project, The Breakfast, Touchpants, Soulive, and Spookie Daly Pride, either as a sound engineer, producer, or as a musician.
i am. it is. you should be. never gets too loud but is bold in the direction of some songs and the ambitious length of the 11 tracks on the album showcase Colby’s range. “Two” starts the album with soft ’70s rock, ala Jim Croce and Don McLean, with a long and paced acoustic melody binding the music to the lyrics. A little country grit is exhibited on “Forget This”, but not too much; there’s even a hint of Bon Jovi in this track.
“I Know I Know I Know” is in the vein of Bon Iver, but without the hipster baggage while “Too Far” features eerie keyboards and languid, lingering lyrics from Dix, “And I’ll turn the outside into wind, I’ll blow you away with the darkness of my sin”, then embarking on a guitar solo worthy of your full attention. “Away”, while short, rings of a Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds duet. Sounding very Pet Sounds-ish is “Try as you Might”, one of the best songs on the album, while the closing song, “20 June”, features soft flute in the background, almost pulled right out of studio “Stairway to Heaven”.
Colby Dix has a solid musical resume and this album features profoundly entrancing vocals and fantastic acoustic guitar work. Give a listen below to “Too Far”, and if you’re near Burlington on Saturday, stop by Nectar’s starting at 7pm for the Official CD release party.
Key Tracks: Too Far, Away, Try as you Might
The first set consisted mostly of tunes from the Los Lobos early years. “Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio” from the EP …and a Time to Dance, “Will the Wolf Survive?” from How Will the Wolf Survive? and “Set Me Free (Rosa Lee)” off By the Light of the Moon were all hits for the band in between 1983-1987. Other highlights included “Little Things” and “Burn it Down”, which featured David Hidalgo performing a blistering accordion solo. Set one finished up with a more recent dance tune titled “Tin Can Trust”.
The music itself is not your typical, run of the mill jazz either. Instead, his early training in the classics bleeds through as he moves through classically swung eights and transitions cleanly into a haunting straight melody. Ever the modernist, the sweetness of the melodies never lasted long; it usually fell into discordant breaks while he plucked from within the Steinway to add to his, and its, already stunning sound. The evening opened with ‘Where’s Sly?’ blended with ‘Otis’ and had plenty of improvisation for all. With those two songs alone, Medeski played for nearly 45 minutes straight with only a handful of breaks through the entire two hours.
