Gareth Lewis knows how to concoct the perfect musical cocktail. The Swansea singer-songwriter has come up with a delightfully eclectic mix for his latest record, ‘Roots’. Expect a strong taste of rock, with a dash of Blues and a pinch of Country, a drop of Gospel and a hit of electronica, guaranteed to fizz and tantalise the tastebuds.

Opening track ‘Don’t Mean a Thing’ sees the best put forward first. This is Blues-Rock of the highest order, ramped up to the nines with guitars, drums and vocals that help stir a rebellious soul. Lewis takes on the current political climate head on, speaking first of apathy and then revolution beside a thumping chorus whose lines, “Don’t go wasting your time on the circus they bring / don’t be listening to all those hollow voices sing / ‘cause every single word don’t mean a thing”, strike right at the heart of what so many are feeling.

The focus then shifts to the personal and individual on ‘Higher Power’, a song with a different sort of energy. The drums may be softer here but they still portray a determined beat of footsteps pressing on toward a goal. The lighter strings of the guitars also provide encouragement that speaks inward to the self, rather than a collective, using Gospel-influenced images like the lion, giant, eagle and fire to accompany the central message: “I believe in you / and your higher power that lies within”.

‘What Got Us Here, Won’t Get Us There’ carries through the quietly-expansive vocals that cause Gareth Lewis to be compared at times to Bono from U2. His is a heartfelt voice that remains soft even as it belts out; and here there is a wealth of emotion that pours out in the middle chorus such that the subtle change of perspective in the lyrics becomes tangibly felt. There is a clear shift in confidence, most obviously in the replacement of ‘What’ and ‘Won’t’ with ‘We’ and ‘We’ll’ respectively in the title. It is a reminder that love is what holds relationships together, and it only becomes richer with commitment through the challenging times.

‘Letting Go of the Rope’ cranks the musical energy back up to the max with its electro-rock soundtrack. It is pulsating in its presentation and powerful in its message: of liberation from a Medicine Man-like figure not too dissimilar to one on fellow Swansea singer-songwriter ELERI’s track ‘Snake Like You’. And just as she adds lots of textures and layers to her Country identity so Gareth Lewis does the same with Rock. On ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ for instance, a recognisable Country twang can be heard now and again beneath the Britpop-soaked rhythms that combine with a Luke Bryan-esque style of delivery. In some ways, this final track is more radio friendly than the radio edit version of ‘What Got Us Here…’ that rounds off the EP. No matter, as every song is worthy of being added to the playlists of Radio Wales and Planet Rock, where Gareth Lewis has found himself many times before. ‘Roots’ is evidence that this is no fluke. It really is a fabulous record, containing “the heart and soul of an artist who”, in his own words, “has poured his passion and experience into every note”. It definitely shows.

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Featured Images (C) Gareth Lewis Music