Bryan Turner’s album What You’re Looking For comes across as an album by a talented singer/songwriter who is not exactly sure how to market himself.
Over the course of six tracks, there are songs with a progressive rock feel, a couple easy listening, and a country song or two. In the liner notes we are told, “His music is his own, but it reflects the influence of many different genres,” another way of saying that Turner hasn’t figured out the niche he wants to shoot for quite yet.
On the album’s back cover is a picture of Turner with his acoustic guitar. With a close inspection it looks like his guitar strap is made of snakeskin. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s pretty cool. But now back to the music.
Bryan Turner definitely has a nice voice that lands softly on the ears, and he has a good sense of melody, as well. The album’s title track is the best example of both. The vocals are smooth with a touch of soul, and the bass line is tight. The music is grooving and goes well with Turner’s voice, and “What You’re Looking For” is one of the album’s better tracks.
The very next song, however, sounds like a song you’d hear on your local easy listening station, where women with pleasant voices play dedications to couples on their 20th wedding anniversary.
But the songwriting on “All I Know” does come across as honest, and that’s always worth something. In fact, that’s one of Turner’s strongest qualities. Throughout the album his voice and lyrics are believable, a great quality to have.
Turner again refuses to be pigeonholed with “Crossroads,” probably the best song on the album. While “All I Know” has a James Taylor feel to it, “Crossroads” comes off as more country, especially in the big chorus. But the guitar solos on this song are what make this the standout track on the album, and it certainly deserves to be on Lightning 100’s local spotlight.
But as “Crossroads” finishes and “Keep Me In Your Heart” begins, you’re reminded that apart from Turner’s voice, the songs on this album seem to have very little in common with each other. Being eclectic is one thing, but these songs don’t flow very well into each other.
When the dust settles What You’re Looking For is a decent album. Turner definitely has a talent for songwriting, and hopefully he will find his target market soon.
