{"id":107,"date":"2018-02-11T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-02-11T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2018\/2018\/02\/11\/hearing-aide-justin-trawick-and-the-common-good-the-riverwash-ep\/"},"modified":"2018-02-11T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-02-11T17:00:00","slug":"hearing-aide-justin-trawick-and-the-common-good-the-riverwash-ep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2018\/2018\/02\/11\/hearing-aide-justin-trawick-and-the-common-good-the-riverwash-ep\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Aide: Justin Trawick and The Common Good “The Riverwash EP”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Justin Trawick and The Common Good<\/a>\u00a0are a budding new name to keep on your radar. The \u201cAmericana<\/a>\u201d band, fronted by\u00a0Justin Trawick\u00a0(lead vocals, guitar),\u00a0Josh Himmelsbach\u00a0(mandolin, resonator, vocals), and\u00a0Jean Finstad\u00a0(upright bass, vocals), combines the comforting notes of folk with elements of bluegrass, and even hip-hop to produce an upbeat, happy-go-lucky debut EP. The Riverwash EP,<\/em>\u00a0comprised of five original songs, takes on a myriad of tones, lending to a diverse, yet cohesive storytelling experience.<\/p>\n

Inspired by\u00a0Bob Schneider, David Gray, The Tallest Man on Earth,\u00a0among others, fans of\u00a0The Avett Brothers\u00a0and even\u00a0Jack Johnson\u00a0will also immediately be enamored with Trawick\u2019s optimistic, yet realistic lyrics and tunes that set the tone of this album early on. In fact, optimism appears to be a theme of the album, indicating that no matter the losses, or longings we face, we have the capability of resilience that will keep us going.<\/p>\n

\"Justin<\/a><\/p>\n

Swinging right into the heat of things, \u201cThis is Love\u201d kicks off the EP, played in by light percussion, and bouncing right into the prominent notes of the mandolin. The rhythmic airy tune is offset by quick paced lyrics calling out to a lover. This first track sets the tone for the album, foreshadowing the elements and themes to come.<\/p>\n

Taking it down a half notch, both in tone and beat, the harmonies and the lingering notes of \u201cTen Long Years\u201d in the chorus remind me of indie band\u00a0The Head and the Heart.\u00a0The simple rhymes indicate that, played live, this song would be an audience favorite, for picking up and singing along to the lyrics would be a quick process. Piano makes its sole appearance on this track, fostering somewhat melancholy undertones, contrasting to the uncontestedly positive leading track. However, despite these nostalgic lyrics that are tinged by a slight sadness, that hint of optimism is still there, illustrating that there\u2019s hope in moving forward, and moving on.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll That I Lack\u201d is my personal favorite on the album, as the thoughtfully crafted lyrics and myriad of instruments create a comforting and beautiful track. I\u2019m always a sucker for violin, so with the stringed instrument weaving throughout lyrics such as \u201cAll that I need\/Is still all that I lack\/Just the love from a friend\/Who won\u2019t love me back,\u201d I couldn\u2019t help but feel sad as I reflected on my own past friendships and relationships. But that\u2019s the power of good music: to make you feel and think.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Na1dMGnSu88<\/p>\n

The final two original songs on the album \u201cThe Bright Side\u201d and \u201cAll the Places That I\u2019ve Been\u201d couldn\u2019t be more different. While the former is a bouncy and catchy ear-worm, \u201cAll the Places That I\u2019ve Been\u201d is a thought-provoking track inspired by Trawick\u2019s 98-year-old grandma. The lyrics on this song provide the most thorough and descriptive story-telling experience of the album, with Trawick taking us through the events that occurred during a full, and well-lived life. It\u2019s a stunning song that provides a sense of closure for the album.<\/p>\n

But just when you think the album is finished, the band launches into their own take on\u00a0Oasis\u2019s\u00a0\u201cWonderwall.\u201d The way Trawick chops up well-known the lines, as well as the incorporation of the mandolin creates a fresh new take on the original track. It\u2019s a timeless tune with a folksy interpretation, officially closing off this debut album with a sense of peaceful finality.<\/p>\n

My favorite parts of this album are when Trawick really lets himself go and unleashes his vocals. They\u2019re strong to start, of course, but during the loud lingering notes, you can really feel his passion for his work. You can hear a smile in Trawick\u2019s voice throughout, and can\u2019t help but to have fun with him. Although the band has been playing together for over ten years, it wasn\u2019t until this debut EP that they created the sound they\u2019re rocking now.<\/p>\n

The Riverwash EP<\/em>\u00a0had a widespread release on CD, iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify on January 22. The group performs at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3 in NYC on February 27.<\/p>\n

This article was originally published by DCMusic News and Review<\/a> and\u00a0appears as a special to NYS Music as part of the Regional Music Alliance. The Regional Music Alliance was founded in 2018 as a partnership between regional websites to provide readers with in-depth coverage of the music scenes on the East Coast.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n