Greg Laswell: Through Toledo

Greg Laswell’s music should be listened when it’s dark and cloudy. That doesn’t mean that it’s sad, depressing music, but it just seems to contain that comforting sort of feeling of a gray sky day, especially on the opener “Sing, Theresa Says”. Laswell here is at his singer-songwriter best. Released after separating from his wife, the record contains all the bumps and bruises of such a situation. A good example of this is the moody “Amazed”, which has some subtle string accents with great results that hit full throttle for the rowdy, edgy chorus. A better example of this is the tender, heartfelt “Do What I Can”. “Worthwhile”, meanwhile, would bring a rocky, rollicking Ron Sexsmith to mind. The same can be said for the piano-led “High and Low” that tugs at certain emotional strings. Just as strong are the unnerving “Come Undone”, the slow-building “Same as You”, and the murky, muddy and muddled “I’m Hit”.