Review – Seth Anderson

Album: We Could Be
Release Date: February 25, 2020
Genre: Folk-rock

There are some songs on We Could Be that sound like they could come straight off of a classic punk rock record from The Ramones or The Clash. While others may bring to mind groups like Mumford and Sons on the more folk-oriented tracks. Whether he’s playing fast-strummed power chords or soft finger-picked melodies, Seth Anderson has found a way to weave together these two genres in a highly original and undoubtedly compelling way on his latest full-length release. We Could Be is an 11-song exploration of the bounds of folk music and punk rock and how captivating of a tool for introspection and personal storytelling these two genres can be.

The record kicks off with “Drive Alone” which sounds like the perfect combination of The Clash-style punk rock riffs backed up some subtle folk and country motifs and driven along by Anderson’s soulful, versatile vocal performance. The track is immediately followed up by “Finding Bliss”, a genuinely sweet mid-tempo folk tune, inspired by the lessons taught to Anderson by his father. This track shows off some of the very personal and honest lyrics that help this record shine. The feeling that permeates through much of this album is that of how personal it feels. The lyrics feel real, but without being soured by self-indulgence or arrogance. The record is also quite well-paced as it keeps a good balance between the slower, more melancholic tracks like “Don’t Stop”, and more upbeat folk-punk style jams like “My One Belief”, “Highway Lights”, or “Life Without the Fight”.

We Could Be is a record full of standout tracks, but without any clear hit radio single, and that’s okay. The album in its entirety is something to be enjoyed and experienced as the fun, wholesome folk-punk adventure that it really is. What this record offers is strong, empowering lyrics paired with an essentially flawless vocal performance and a genuinely unique blend of two genres that both lend extremely well to the ability to tell personal stories with the proper emotion to back them up. Seth Anderson is a truly talented Canadian artist whose praise is surely warranted from fans across all genres, not just folk music and punk rock.

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