Taking a brave and bold step away from the production boards, Paul Roessler has made an album worthy of your attention in The Turning of the Bright World. Roessler has made a name for himself by producing records for bands like Tombstones in Their Eyes, Josie Cotton, and CrowJane, among many others, and he felt the timing was perfect to make his own creative stamp on the music scene using his voice as a beacon of light inviting listeners of all ages into his headspace. On the new album that released today, Roessler shared, “Each song has its own message, even if sometimes that message could never really be explained. I like those kinds of songs a lot. The music preached to me, and I did my best to deliver what it was saying.” With a steady heartbeat of purpose filled in each song, Roessler has taken full advantage of leaving his legacy through these songs found on this latest LP.
Starting off the set with “Elephant Man,” Roessler captures the imagination of his listener with vibrant piano, rhythmic hand claps, and soaring vocals to cut through the mix to guide the audience through his latest musical odyssey. Things continue to remain interesting on the second track, “Maker,” that features a dance-y beat and energetic vocals to lift the spirits of even the grumpiest music fan out there. Roessler ponders on this song, “Get ready to meet your maker / Everybody’s got to meet their maker / Let’s go! / Look out below / Everybody’s gotta raise a savior / Are you ready for the big creator?” His ability to convey a wide range of emotions over a dance-hall beat only speaks to his repertoire as an artist and musician.
Other early tracks like “The Only Thing That Matters,” that features some pounding drums over bellowing vocals from Roessler and the piano-laden “Possibility of Psychic Phenomenon” hit their intended targets, even with their lofty goals and expectations. “Awake” has a very electronic-flavored vibe that partially distracts from the brooding piano interlude that opens the song, but once the static fades away, we’re left with a great slow-building song that leaves the listener in awe of its raw beauty. The front half closes with “Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time,” a nice ballad about looking back on life’s endless possibilities while still considering the choices that have led us to where we are today.
”Heaventree” sets the back half on the right foot with its uplifting feel that would make pop veterans like Coldplay and The Fray jealous that they didn’t pen the track. Things continue to remain interesting with the orchestra-backed “The Last Time My Head Was Right,” whereas “They” broods with spooky sounds and soft vocals to keep the audience engaged in Roessler’s path towards self-discovery. Other tracks like “No Time” only further showcase that Roessler made the wise and correct choice to step away from the production boards to take center stage in his moment on The Turning of the Bright World. Add in a brilliant closing statement in “The Late Show,” and I became further convinced that I was listening to an album that demands to be taken seriously and swallows you whole. Roessler has truly made a world of music filled with so much variety on this record, and I hope others will give it a chance to succeed, because this artist truly deserves it.