Concert Review: Parson James Is Made For Radio At Music Hall Of Williamsburg

Parson James is one of the best “radio-friendly” stars to be rising. Giving mainstream music a depth of soul/ humanity is not always easy because we have convinced ourselves that “heart” does not sell, which is why the mega-stardom of Adele was shocking. She, herself, complained how her soulful image and heartbreaking lyricism, which are now the keys to her success, were the reason she was shut out of many, potential opportunities. Yet, like Adele, Parson James gives spiritual depth to “the radio”, which it can direly need.
Stole The Show

//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.jsWe all need those songs that speak to the nuances of being human, and Parson James writes them. Absolutely, every song he sang, even new, unreleased ones like, “I Got Problems” had the crowd dancing with their bouncing rhythms, and singing along to hypnotic choruses that captured the weight and wistfulness of humanity. Soul can be too heavy to absorb which is why James’s songs like “Stole The Show” and “Temple” use simpler chord arrangements/ hooks to elevate the complexity of their emotional words. After all, their themes on searching for or leaving behind a chapter that defines your life is not an easy lyrical “plot”. Hence, he writes his music with catchy melodies and hooks that hold the density of being a human being and deliver it with memorable R&B- pop/ gospel sounds.  

Sad Song

For Parson James, music is the beginning to a spiritual end, and the result is a concert that is both uplifting and opening to its viewers. Opening may seem like an odd word to describe a concert. Rare is the person that proclaims “I was opened by that show”, but, as a presence, James gives the peace and purity of a person that has seen it all and, thus, will not judge you for what you have seen, as well. He warmly speaks to crowd tales in which, he found either the goodness of himself or the people he loves like, his friends or boyfriend. He fully encompasses, in music and demeanor, the life search we all have taken for a spiritual space where we feel we can shine. This explains why he transforms concert spaces into ones of warm stability and, again, openness. He will dance with you and make jokes just to keep the genuineness of your smile going. His innate, welcoming nature heightens his talent and persona as a person singing to the best of life even when facing the worst. 
Temple

Vocally, Parson James sings with a richness that transforms his notes into sung jewels. He carries songs, not according to their pitches and ranges, but their emotions and thoughts, which is why he hits a high note every time. There is an undercutting rasp to his voice that breathes the pain of his songs’ themes like alienation, self-loathing, and self-doubt. Yet, he uses his vocal range/ prowess to show that you can swim through the ocean of your issues if you use your heart as a safety vest. Such optimism rings through his tracks that, again, have the most mesmerizing hooks I have heard in a while. Thus, I insist on his so “radio- friendliness”. Every song I heard was like a bright star ready to shine over the masses and become number one singles for him.You could be hearing his song for the first time, and, by the end of it, you are singing along with his repeated words of resilience. 
Waiting Game

From his swaying dance moves to harmonies that could leap off of spiritual hymns, Parson James is a concert I would recommend to feel enlivened by life. Although all concerts offer escapism, not all offer spiritual enlivenment. From beginning to end, his concert felt like a positive experience to be remembered. Moreover, his music is, definitely, “Grammy- worthy”, and I would be shocked if in the oncoming years he did not have “Grammy Winner” tied to his name. His music reminds listeners that we gravitate to music first and foremost out of love. Music may make us dance, laugh, and even dream, but it only does that because it makes us feel. Parson James will make you feel. For more Information On Parson James Click Here