Song Review:
Elmer's Tune
Overall Impression:
Nolan Bruce Allen is back with another star-studded number born for dancing, flawlessly blending Old Time aesthetics with killer Jazz based progressions in a dreamy Western Swing delight! Elmer's Tune is particularly gentle and sentimental, leaning heavily into Allen's affection for 30's and 40's Swing sensibilities, with its full band featured in a swath of tender solos, and Allen's crooning vocals elegantly paired with chic female harmonies for a heavenly slice of American music.
Strongest Point(s):
Elmer's Tune features an irresistible melody, made additionally enticing by the charisma and apparent ease of all the musicians involved. The saxophone, clarinet, keys, and fiddle are particularly nice additions, rounding out the song's Jazz-inspired sound, with the piece's extensive solo breaks filling a time-honored musical tradition while allowing room for each element (and its masterful player) to truly shine, before returning to a rousing send off in the final refrain. The beat is of course, beautifully swung, and Nolan Bruce Allen's voice is full and appealing as ever, compounded by the excellent choice to bring in additional female vocalists with an absolutely angelic timbre and range, making it a track one could easily listen to on repeat without a care in the world.
Target Audience Appeal:
Elmer's Tune is an alluring song with strong pull for anyone who appreciates the music of the 1930's and 40's, parts of the 50's and 60's, Jazz, Swing, Western Swing, Country and Western, Old Time Country, Boogie Woogie...the list could go on, but suffice it to say, Allen has once again produced a piece with such great classic appeal, it can entice audiences all over. The song would be excellently suited to a retro cocktail bar, or any other venue/business that values a sophisticated, nostalgic atmosphere, and will always be at home anywhere a traditional dance floor can be found.
Artist target suggestions:
Asleep At The Wheel, Frank Sinatra, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, Spade Cooley, Hank Thompson, Ray Price, Webb Pierce, Don Gibson, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters
About the Reviewer:
Mary Wildsmith is an FM Radio DJ, and has been involved in both on-air work and radio production for five and a half years, in addition to working the past decade in and out of the live entertainment industry. She has experience with the fickle nature of the music industry, selecting singles to promote or discard for radio play, and engineering stage to audience sound systems. Having worked balancing, troubleshooting, and running audio rigs has enabled her to be both sensitive, and sympathetic, to the finesse and nuance of quality recording. Mary is passionate about promoting new and independent artists, and has spent extensive time in round-table environments discussing music and audio critically, and collaborating with artists to enable them to put the best possible foot forward with their art.
Vocals: Strength
Lyrics: Strength
Instrumental Performance/Execution: Strength
Melody/Rhythm: Strength
Arrangement/Flow: Strength
Recording Quality/Overall Mix: Strength