New York-based singer-songwriter Sharell Bryant is making big strides with her debut EP, Turn Me Into A Diamond. A set of tracks that vary stylistically, Turn Me Into A Diamond puts Bryant’s range as a musician on display. One of the standout tracks on the new album is “Gold,” which compared to its relatives is much more relaxed in tone.
The only song in Bryant’s catalog that “Gold” resembles is the title track off the new EP since both are acoustically driven. “Gold” relies heavily on piano and strings unlike the song “Turn Me Into A Diamond,” which gives it a slightly folk or country sound. It also makes the song feel much smaller in scale compared to the others on the EP which rock much harder. There are no electric elements or percussion, a little unusual but it works.
The scaled back nature of “Gold” means that Bryant has much more room to show off her talents without being hidden by too much flourishment. A singer-songwriter should be able to play both parts with relative ease, and Bryant does. Her singing is excellent, and her writing is very good, although the more experimental “Out of Sight, In My Mind” shows a bit more range.
The lyrics of “Gold” tell an endearing story that is easy to follow. Though the lyric “I’ve been dusting for traces of your fingerprints, had my face in the sweater that’s lost all your scent” stood out and put on smile on my face. The lyrics make me want to hear more and that’s more than enough. While Bryant didn’t blow me away with her lyrics she did with her singing.
Bryant’s skills really shine when it comes to vocals in all her songs, and “Gold” is no exception. Her tone glides beautifully throughout the song and the cold open with the acoustic guitar accompaniment hooked me straight away. The vocal harmonies showcase a beautiful blend of Bryant and a male vocalist whose name I couldn’t find. This pairing is particularly appropriate considering the romantic story that “Gold” tells.
The instrumentation is simple. The chord progressions are not complicated by any means but that’s not what I was expecting. I wanted to hear an great vocalist and decent lyrics with a solid narrative and that’s exactly what I got. The moments with just Bryant singing and the guitar strumming gentling in the background are the highlights of the song for me. Not to downplay the instrumentation’s value in the song as it is still important.
“Gold” is a more low-key offering from Turn Me Into A Diamond, but it makes for a nice change of pace when listening to the others. If you are someone who seeks multi-layer harmonies and complex melodies, you may find it a little underwhelming. Every now and then I crave listening to a song that does away with the nonsense and delivers a pleasant and authentic experience and that’s “Gold.”
