Dawes – If I Wanted Someone

I heard a lot about Dawes after their last album, North Hills, dropped but for one reason or another, I never picked it up. I finally started paying attention after working my way through the Middle Brother album that includes Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith. "If I Wanted Someone" is the first track released from upcoming album Nothing is Wrong and it's got Crazy Horse written all over it.

From the opening distorted guitar riff my mind had a moment of confusion deciding whether I was listening to Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere on vinyl or the new Dawes track I just downloaded. Thankfully, I'm not a former NFL player and my brain still functions and I began to take in the sweet southern (by way of LA) rock of Dawes.

"If I Wanted Someone" is retro in the best kind of way. It's not derivative, but it works on successful conventions and sounds fresh and heartfelt. It's a self-affirming ballad, built on false promises and forced bravado. In other words, Goldsmith needs to make himself feel better, so he shuns the necessity of love and relationships. It's inspiring in that "I know this should make me feel awesome being independent, but damn, love is great" kind of way.

Did I just make this lonely anthem romantic? Or did he do that? You're a tricky one, Goldsmith.

You can be damn sure I'm picking up Nothing is Wrong on June 7 from ATO Records.