On this debut Drive, Addison Clapp references Hot August Night – while Neil Diamond he ain’t, we all have to start somewhere, and he certainly has time on his side.
Opening song Hollywood Boulevard is a real winner – riffing keys and a building, bubbly intro deliver Addison’s invitation to follow him down the star-studded thoroughfare. There’s a hint of Billy Joel in this individually expressed, expertly delivered and exceptionally pleasing song (yes, Mr Piano Man may be more New York than Los Angeles, but he’s certainly not out of place and has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, dontcha know? As does Mr Diamond. Also for the record, Hot August Night happened at the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, a 10 to 15-minute drive if you start out on Hollywood Boulevard. We’ve all got to start somewhere!).
Take Our Time is next up, all frisky guitar and handclaps, and, with Elana Simard sharing the vocals, the bar stays high. These first two tracks establish the album’s sunny, breezy vibe, full of light and space. Much of what follows is undemanding, burbly pop – but Hollywood Boulevard, particularly, is top quality. Addison has set down a memorable marker.
Old Time Loving is more derivative and unremarkable, despite some distinctive sax, but the excellent Dream is a sultry slowburner, well worth it’s 5:38 running time, with a darker side to add some nuance to bright spark Clapp – there’s a ring of topical truth when he sings of “demons in the darkness” and his “monster in the room”, as well as coping with “everything inside my mind”. Clapp looks like a young Jeff Buckley and while he doesn’t have the late, great’s pipes, who does?
Night Drive, with acoustic guitar, rippling piano, more sax and dampened drum effects is one of the plusses. Stop The World is a nice confessional, biographical ballad, its piano less Joel and more Jackson Browne (definitely at home in LA – no Walk Of Fame star, tho). Stagelights is an Ellie Goulding soundalike.
The pretty electro soundscape burbles and ripples along but the more the swoony ear candy is upped the less distinctive it all gets. More of that “darker side” and some rougher edges would be welcome. Love song Forever brings the acoustic guitar back to the fore and is a fine finale.
The story goes that US teen songwriter Addison was inspired by a pre-pandemic visit to Los Angeles and by Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Really? There was a film out at the same time that was a love letter to the movies, made by a celebrated director, that thrilled with its classic craft and erudite details while boasting a superior cast, an irresistible dark humour and sheer emotional heft. But it had nothing to do with QT, it was Pedro Almodovar’s Pain & Glory. Which is simply to say there are lots more inspirations and wider influences out there to be discovered in the big, bad painful but glorious world.
Nobody likes a lecture, but you’ve got to start somewhere! Here endeth the lesson (and that’s “the Chicago way”).
A Drive Down Hollywood Boulevard, by Addison Clapp, is out on April 23