Artist:     Paul Childers

Album:     Naked Poetry

Label:     Independent

Release Date:     4.28.2017

82

BUY DIGITAL

BUY PHYSICAL

Despite the provocative title, Paul Childers’ Naked Poetry provides a fairly unassuming debut, one that’s filled with unabashedly easy listening melodies akin to John Mayer’s earlier efforts… before Mayer found it necessary to prove himself a master of the blues. Still, it’s an impressive set of songs for a first time bow, and one suspects that this young singer/songwriter—he’s only 22 after all—will have a bright future on the nightclub circuit and easy listening radio if his efforts persist. Songs such as “Music Pulls You Through” and “Why Don’t You Stay” allude to his starry eyed appeal, but it’s the track titled “At Our Own Pace” that more than hints at his mellow, meandering approach.

Like Mayer, Childers also appears to be a guitar ace, courtesy of a ’59 Strat that he wields with some proficiency. There’s not a lot of guitar play in evidence here however—“Emma” is a notable exception—possibly because Childers is more intent on wooing an audience, one likely to be predominantly female, while negating any effort towards Herculian muscle or melodies. Indeed, several tracks—“Naked Poetry” and “Perfect Man” in particular—are so wispy and willowy, they leave a distinctly low-cast impression.

Still, Childers’ brand of easy, engaging balladry does boast its fair share of commercial cred. Naked Poetry is an unblemished effort that bodes well for his future fortunes.

—Lee Zimmerman