Vance Joy - Dream Your Life Away

Vance Joy
Dream Your Life Away
2015

Just because you have heard something before doesn't mean it carries no value or can't inspire. You undoubtedly have heard songs like those on Vance Joy's debut album Dream Your Life Away many times before. Sweet Male singer, acoustic guitar and a light folky backing band, it is a mixture that almost never fails. If you were hiding under a rock in 2013 you may have missed the smash hit "Riptide" but it is probably unlikely. The song thrust Vance into the mainstream and this album is his first shot at a major release that includes "Riptide". It is Ukulele folk straight from Australia. While his sound is similar you won't find Vance Joy taking on the same themes as groups like The Decemberists, instead he takes a more pop love approach writing songs that are catchy enough the garner the attention of Taylor Swift (who He is about to Tour with). These are pop songs with folk instruments. With that in mind we come to an impasse, what is Vance Joy doing that someone hasn't done before, how is He setting himself apart? The answer is He really is not, it is more of the same we have heard for years and years.

So does that really matter, if the music is good then just shut the fuck up and enjoy it right? That's totally true, this album is totally fine and has some pretty interesting standout tracks but with the exception of "Georgia" and "Riptide" nothing jumps out. Vance sings the songs quite passionately but there is an emotion that is missing, it is almost music by numbers rather than by feel. The songs all have only that one dimensional sing about love first after after 15 tracks that just gets very boring. In the end you reach a place where there is nothing really wrong with Vance Joy or Dream Your Life Away, but there also is not anything really great. It is just ok.

6 out of 10