Review: Nick Hinton - The Brave Unknown

We're at the point now in the music industry that the best music isn't coming from the major labels and in a lot of cases you aren't hearing it on the radio. It's coming from independent artists self releasing music they have put everything they have into. American artists have trouble enough getting their music heard by the masses, now imagine being an independent artist from the U.K.

Such is the case with Nick Hinton. His latest album, The Brave Unknown, is as indie as it gets. Hinton wrote, performed, recorded, and mixed the album himself. You wouldn't know it though as the album sounds as polished as any big label release.

The Brave Unknown is an album full of sweet mellow songs driven by piano, guitar, and in some cases lush strings. It really is a beautiful sounding album. Hinton has done a great job complimenting his wonderful lyrics and voice with great arrangements. The songs are almost dreamlike. They lift you up and carry you along and lull you into that perfect place that only great music can take you.

I'm always happy when I find an album I can listen to from start to finish and just enjoy and not have to worry about skipping tracks. This is one of those albums. I loved hearing it and in fact listened to it a few times before writing this review.

One of my favorite tracks on the album is Try Again. It's a lovely uplifting song about not giving up on love as it might be the last chance to experience it. It's just Nick and a piano, which to me is one of the best kinds of songs. It feels like he is sitting right in front of you performing. That's how the entire album feels. That is a testament to good music. If you forget you are listening to a CD (or an iPod in my case) you really have connected with the songs and that is a fantastic feeling (one I have had a lot this year! 2008 has been great for music, independent especially).

I really enjoyed every song on the album. The opening instrumental track The Boy Who Could is simply gorgeous, if not a little short and the closing track The Station nearly stopped me in my tracks. It's the kind of song that makes you think about your life and where you are headed. Every song in between beautifully weaves together to make this album into a perfect package.

If Nick Hinton continues to release albums like this he should have no trouble at all breaking into the US.

The Brave Unknown will be available on iTunes on October 27 (or sooner)

For more information on Nick Hinton please visit:

Myspace
Official Site