photo by Adriana Arguijo Gutierrez; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Baxter Hall: The Work

Baxter Hall has the tools to be one of those transcendent artists whose appeal goes well beyond his genre. That genre, at least on The Work, is acoustic-ish singer-songwriter. The arrangement leans folk, but not in the exclusionary way that term can sometimes mean. And that’s because there’s some nifty pop-rock singer-songwriter feel to these songs, too, landing the Americana descriptor for his music sometimes, too. On The Work, Hall keeps it simple, but that simplicity belies the richness of the EP’s production. So, too, could I see more elaborate arrangements taking Hall’s songs in multiple directions, though again, the arrangements are more complicated than they seem at first glance. Regardless, this is a helluvan introduction to Hall. It’s going to be exciting to see where he takes his skills next. I’d say his career ceiling is atmospheric, in the company of soft-touch broad-appeal singer-songwriters like John Mayer, Jason Mraz, or Andy Grammer. Superstardom notwithstanding, a less-spectacular but steady career with longevity in the folk-rock world would be another great possible result for Hall.

EP artwork by Baxter Hall, Bella Lepore Hall and Alandra Hall; image courtesy of Knyvet

For now, though, let’s focus on The Work. Herein Hall has presented us with a rich, engaging, peppy, acoustic-leaning record with a lot more variety than you’ll probably initially expect if you’ve only heard a single song.

“You Were the One” opens the EP with a sunshiny pleasantness, musically anyway. I know there are two sides to every story, but as the first-person voice in the song, Hall makes his convincingly. Based on the lyrics, this song should be heavy and a little resentful, but the healthy mental approach in the lyrics is matched by the song’s cheery tunefulness, replete with nifty little playful guitar riffs right out of the textbook for ’70s light pop singer-songwriter radio hits. I think Jim Croce would be proud of this one.

photo by Adriana Arguijo Gutierrez; photo courtesy of Knyvet

The EP’s pre-release single, “The Work,” opens with a more finger-picking guitar style before thumping strumming takes over, as the guitar and vocal volumes both pick up. It’s an insightful song with cool lyrics like “despite what you’ve heard, not all hurt people make people hurt.” The lyrics are the sort that suggest the songwriter knows a thing or two about family therapy and the theories underpinning it. And the song builds into a rich, booming, catchy pop-rock-folk number.

Song three of four, “Tricks” is an enjoyable swayer with a nifty guitar pattern, a bouncing rhythm, and a coolly subtle musical surge to power to emphasize the chorus. This track also sports a nice lyrical repeat for the last minute that’ll get listeners singing along. And a fadeout. You know how you don’t hear song fadeouts anymore? Well, now they sound fresh again, and that lyrical repeat to fadeout is exactly the right way to engineer one – Hall knows what he’s doing.

Finally, “Way Too Easy” is a playful, energetic, cheerful song calling out a narcissist in no uncertain words. It’s a fun romp that leads to the payoff chorus line of “You made walkin’ away way too easy.” And the guitar riffs – the buzzy little playful one that mingles with the lyrics and the more energetic one that provides emphasis in key spots here and there – may not be as easily noticeable behind Hall’s engaging vocal style, but they’re what makes this song special.

I can’t tell you which of the songs I prefer most. I think choosing “The Work” for the first single was the right move, as it’s the most powerful. For the second single, I’m torn between “You Were the One” and “Way Too Easy,” probably leaning toward “Way Too Easy” because “You Were the One” is a little more laid back and might play well as a third single. Finally, “Tricks” will be a favorite among some, but I think that’ll be a more selective subset of listeners. Then again, what do I know? That swirling lyrical repeat is really cool, so maybe that’ll be the biggest hit.

Four killer songs on a four-song EP is a good problem to have. And, of course, for the listener, it’s not a problem; rather it’s a delight. Folk, pop, singer-songwriter, hooky soft rock… if you’re a fan of any of those styles of music, I heartily recommend Baxter Hall’s The Work.

Additional Notes

Baxter Hall was nominated for two Boston Music Awards this year. He is up for an award in the Singer/Songwriter of the Year category, and his single “The Work” has been nominated for Song of the Year. He’ll find out if he won during the BMAs’ December 16th ceremony.