Song Review: Andrea Templon- Dragonflies on Wings

Words were written by Anselm Anderson 

Andrea Templon is a versatile talent hailing from North Carolina. The singer has a rare ability to encompass a variety of genres into her music, including jazz, folk, blues, and Americana. This is nowhere better explored in her latest release " Dragonflies With Wings", The singer's second album that features covers and originals with Dave Fox.  The ten song album is rich with warmth and poignancy that delivers with charm and attentiveness that is suitable for those who enjoy easy listening music. I will be giving a run through of some of the album's highlights;

The album begins with A Fine Thing, a beautifully written and enchanting track that opens with the bright sound of the piano that gives the song an intimate feel as if Templon is singing directly to the listener in a lounge somewhere. This is reflective in her introspective lyrics that evoke  a love ballad that comes to life with Templon's nourishing tone that maintains a steady tempo along with the piano accompaniment

Next up is a cover of The Band's track Atlantic City. This is another example of templon's versatility as a singer with a good back up band. This track begins with the staple diet of any good folk track, a melodic fingerpicking pattern that sets the mood for another strong vocal performance that really captures the feeling of the lyrics, as Templon sings   The vocals begin to move with the music towards a climatic chorus with a change in tone to reflect a more positive sense, which feels more so with the Mandolin playing in the background at the bridge."

Next is the standout track for me personally, Templon's take on the Bonnie Raitt track " ( Going) Wild For You Baby. A song steeped in soul and emotion. Templon makes this cover her own with sultry vocals that encapture every painstaking word of the original. A slow tempo and guitar accompaniment help supplement this with a strong rhythm section. The slick guitar play adds a different dimension to Raitt's version, which is more fragile.

The Only News is another delicate blues number that is sung in a duet with a male vocalist. The opening tinkers of keyboard shuffle along to swinging jazz feel as Templon enters with a lowly purl. The slow tempo maintains this feeling steady drumming falling on the strong beats to create an intimate mood before the dual vocals on chorus reflect lovers entwined under a moonlit beach.  I feel this reflects the story of the lyrics of two people happy with each other in a world of harm. The lovely guitar lick and the impressive combination of piano and bass produce a magical song.

Where is the Love wraps things up with another duet between two talented singers. This slow-tempo, number exudes with soul and harmony. The  Roberta Flack cover opens with cries of " Where is the Love" causing the heart to ripple with the combination of templon's mellifluous melodies against rich male vocals creating another sense of a couple alone.  The vocals counterpoint one another in a sense of unison, as the rhythm section, supplies a complimentary side to the music.

 

 Dragonflies On Wings is now available through all good Music Platforms like Spotify, Google Play, and Deezer.


You can follow Andrea Templon via her social media pages below;

https://www.facebook.com/AndreaTemplon/

https://twitter.com/andreatemplon