Review Summary: Braddigan's debut album, Watchfires, shows his solo talent away from his previous band, Dispatch. His soft rock and folk influences are evident in this complete acoustic album. The album will leave the listener in a state of pure euphoria.
Brad Corrigan, known by most as Braddigan, released his first full length album,
Watchfires, a year after the breakup of his previous band, Dispatch. Watchfires is influenced mainly by folk. The album is very soft and mellow, each song only being played with an acoustic guitar. Many of the songs are played with bongos and maracas instead of traditional drums. It flows together perfectly. With a voice like Braddigan, it's hard to go wrong.
Watchfires begins with
Walls. In the beginning, all the listener can hear is Braddigan's voice singing in the distance, with some soft guitar playing in the background. The rest of the instruments quickly kick in, and Watchfires is off.
Fallin', the first single, is a fast tune with some great vocals. [b]Pura Vida[/v] and
Sweet Jah are also catchy little jams with memorable lyrics. The energy level at the beginning of the album is very high, but it gradually loses pace and drops into the mellow mood that makes the album such a great listen.
The softer end of Watchfires begins after Pura Vida.
Sailin' is a slow, bongo-beat track with a very fun chorus that will have you singing along. The real gem of Watchfires is
City on a Hill. The lyrics are outstanding, the song is so soft, and you will hear the chorus over and over again in your head all day. The final two songs are instrumentals, but they sound very different. Each has its own personality and mood. When Watchfires is finished, you will either be fast asleep, or you will be in that calm, euphoric state of mind.
Watchfires was a great debut album for Braddigan, showcasing his vocal talent. The mellow mood of the album, and the lack of any electric instruments give him room to really shine with his lyrics. The album contains really no flaws, if you like this soft rock music.
