James Ethington III - Rheacycle (EP)
James Ethington III is an independent singer/songwriter from the small town of Alamogordo, New Mexico. Six years ago the twenty-five year old artist first picked up the guitar in search of a healthy way to cope with anxiety and depression. Since then, his musical journey has led him across the United States and back again. He honed his singing and songwriting skills while busking on the streets of cities from Santa Monica, California to Austin, Texas. A lifelong lover of music, his unique sound is a product of eclectic tastes. James cites the inspiration of artists ranging from The Temptations to Nirvana. We can hear their influences in his soulful vocals, thoughtful lyricism and clever post-modern sensibilities.
"Rheacycle" is the debut EP from James Ethington III. The five song collection is an intimate and infinitely listenable introduction to a talented and versatile artist. The record is the perfect
showcase for songwriter's unique ability turn his deeply personal narratives into universally relatable tales. He delivers autobiographical lyrics with a natural melodic sense that pulls us in
and finds us singing along as though we were right there with him as the stories happened.
Right from the first chords of Art of My Life you feel there's something special about James Ethington III's work. It's raw, honest and all the emotions are palpable. Of course you could say a similar thing about other artists too but no two songwriters do these things the same way, their attitude makes each of them unique.
Becca is a soulful track where the simple arrangement of just an acoustic guitar makes you concentrate on the words. In fact, this is something that's true for the entire collection. Quite surprisingly though, this track turns into a dance number yet it doesn't seem inappropriate, everything is well-measured and feels natural.
If there's a track that summs up what's Ethington III about, it would be Looking Glass. The bright guitar tones with heartfelt vocals are enough to make an impression and you realize sometimes less is more. And the artist uses it to his advantage.
The title track is quite experimental, delves more into electronicaor even hip hop territory in parts. Lyrically, it's a calling to the human race for change of their lifestylein order to save our planet.
Sexy Juicy Bouncy is a game changer. On the surface it seems like a confession of a lover, expression of feelings to the object of his dersires but underneath there is something a little bit darker. We can compare the acoustic version and the full production take on the same song and decide which you prefer. Both contain something intriguing in them. We prefer the acoustic but everybbody is entitled to have a different opinion.