david leonard, the wait
Singer/songwriter David Leonard released his highly anticipated, 13-track debut album The Wait today, and we have been melting into it since the very first lines of “Wanderer” hit our ears. Leonard’s vocals are raspy, robust, and evoke more emotion than a beach proposal. With “Wanderer”, he establishes his immense talent and his ability to make the listener feel every word deep in their bones. And though the soundscape picks up a bit with “By My Side”, it still has this deep-rooted, freeing feeling associated with that would otherwise be completely unexpected.
But that’s what happens when you find a talent of Leonard’s capacity. You come to expect this reeling sense of self when you listen to their music, each track accompanying you on your life journey in this gorgeous soundtrack. “Signs of Life” brings a more upbeat, pop rock influence to the album, while “Know Your Heart” slows everything down again for an insane love ballad. “Come As You Are” and its intro are two of our favorites on the album, though you’ll have to get a good listen to every track to make that decision for yourself.
Once you are introduced to “Share This Burden”, there is almost a sense that Leonard has taken all of his most vulnerable moments over the years and created this album as a method of identifying with his audience, to create a community rather than just simply release music for the sake of releasing music. The listener gets an idea for how carefully crafted this work was through the Imogen Heap-esque intro of “There’s Nobody”, the ambient “I Will Wait”, and the introspective, more spiritual “Distant God” and “You Know Me”. He rounds the album out perfectly with the chorus in “Threads” and then the simplifying soundscape and heart-breaking, honest lyrics in “The Little That I Know”.
Take The Wait for a spin. We’re dying to know what you think!
Keep up with David Leonard here.