Diandra Reviews It All

James A.M. Downes played Bowery Electric in an intimate gig of both his hits and newest, solo EP Prison Font. As he bantered with the crowd eager to joke with him, and after, a few beers, his music seemed dedicated to moments exactly as such; where you are clinging to the happiness and love of a moment that you know will leave. In some ways, we all can feel like, we are writing our lives in Prison Font; with a chained ink that only fleeing moments of peace and joy seems to open the cell of our mind.

For Downes, every song was about finding someone or something that made the sadness or enragement of life a little easier to deal with. It is a lonely world, in which, the love we have is the only thing that gives us a breather from darker sentiments. Hence, Downes sings his songs like such a breathe as in “Not Thinking It Over” and “Bait My Soul”. He has a vocal range that feels like cannons shooting notes up, forward, and then crashing down on your heart. You, sincerely, feel his lyrical begging for companionship and vocal balancing of it comes from real experiences. Most artists write from what they know, but do not always radiate it on stage. Yet, once Downes was done cracking jokes and smiles to crowd, he mentally transported himself to the moments that led to “Prison Font” and “Restless Ones”. The latter being a a perfect capsule for his voice; Downes is restless. He hits high notes and low ones like, he is tossing in be trying to combat the anxieties and ambitions that keep us up at night. We want to be the best, in a world, where most of us feel like the last, and Downes’ music feels too real to be from these times.

Now, there is great music out there, but Downes definitely has an early, 90’s vibe. He is straight acoustics with a voice mudded in pain and pleasure ploys. This aura makes his concert one for when you are in the mood for songs that are romantic, dark, and say “Yes, the world is on fire, but my love burns greater for you.” For More Information On James A.M. Downes Click Here.