Daniel Lee Kendall impressed me with his debut EP Lost in the Moment, so I had high hopes for his follow-up, Talk The Night Away. Happily, the Central Coast singer-songwriter didn’t disappoint.
Again Daniel charms us with his folky organic music, but it’s better the second time around. He’s grown as an artist. Where some of the pleasantly soothing tunes got a little sleepy in his first EP, here we see more focus on hooks and melody.
I adore the acoustic rhythms of “My Love to Be.” The driving beat is perfect for road trips. It could be Mondayitis talking, but it makes jumping in my car, taking off down the freeway, and seeing where I end up sound pretty tempting. “Gone” is one of the most heartbreakingly honest songs about love gone wrong that I’ve heard. When a musician can create something so powerful with only his acoustic guitar and his words, it’s something special. “Never Changing” is a perfect closer, a playful, laidback musing on life that is reminiscent of Ben Harper or early Jack Johnson.
With Talk The Night Away, Daniel Lee Kendall has made good on the promise he showed with that first EP. Bring on the long-player; five tracks just isn’t enough to satisfy!