William Fitzsimmons released his brand new album “Lions” on February 18. Our reporter David Gazet returns a little unimpressed.
The Illinois based indie-folk artist Fitzsimmons, a former psychotherapist who is known for his hypnotic acoustic melodies, first made a name for himself with Please Don’t Go and Passion, both appeared on hit TV show Grey’s Anatomy.
But, like many artists whose songs are cherry-picked for prime time stardom, Fitzsimmons’ has since languished in relative obscurity, which, as far as we can tell is where he’s happiest.
It isn’t just the beard that invites comparisons to artists like notoriously reclusive hermit Keaton Henson, or Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.
Fitzsimmons’ whispery voice and melancholic lyrics are the bread and butter of many of the best indie artists, and there is some originality.
Speak’s combination of piano accompaniment with synthesisers is brilliant- while it lasts. But other experiments, such as the use of percussion in Took, fall completely flat.
Instead it ended up sounding like elevator music straining to be profound than the accomplished guitar tracks Fitzsimmons is capable of creating.
But there is little entirely ground-breaking or different about Lions and Fitzsimmons’ style has barely changed since his first release Until When We Were Ghosts (2005).
Long-term fans will doubtless find much to love but Lions is a distinctly unoriginal entry to the genre.
