Can't believe some of the negative stuff posted on this album. It is absolutely fantastic! Yes, the influences are there to be quite clearly heard, most notably the great Jackson Browne! It seems that most music these days is derivitive, and that its ok to replicate the blues or soul music from the past. Nobody has really got to grips with this 70's California sound since it's heyday, and this takes you right back into that era, but with a fresh new feel. You can't produce music that simply carries the Jackson Browne sound, without being able to produce fantastic lyrics, or it would fall very flat. Dawes have produced 11 lyrically beautiful songs that each tell their story perfectly over a canvas of great musicianship, watertight harmonies, and gorgeous tunes. The guitar solo sound used in many of these tracks, most notably A Little Bit Of Everything, is taken straight from the early Jackson Browne albums, which is great, because no one seems to play in the style or use this sound anymore! Time Spent In Los Angeles is a fantastic opening pop-rock track perfect for the Summer and sets the 70s California feel of the album to follow, right through to the final track A Little Bit Of Everything - this song would not sound out of place in a Warren Zevon set, it is a challenging song lyrically which is painted in a gritty truthful pathos and a hint of hope.
If you like Jackson Browne, you'll love this album, if you like the Eagles, you'll love this album, if you like great songs beautifully performed and produced, then you will certainly love this album.