Review: No White Lies by John Adams
By Julia Tomlinson
Proudly originating from Aberdare in Wales, UK Singer/Songwriter John Adams started sharing his personal story with the world through the way of music. John has gone from performing music in public spaces of his hometown, to getting radio play and even charted number 7 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter category. His melodic method of storytelling has earned him fans all around the globe, and has especially begun to gain traction in the US.
John Adams’ brand new EP No White Lies is a 5 song masterpiece showcasing the unbelievable range of John’s voice paired beautifully with his guitar and piano instrumentals. The EP tells a story, beginning with “First Line”, which is a first time listener’s glimpse into the power and soul behind his sound that makes him such a talented artist all music lovers would enjoy. While melancholy in lyrics and tone, John’s voice evokes the pain behind emotional struggle in dealing with heartbreak. The story continues with “Million Lives”, a slow yet passion filled song, as James sings at the end of his chorus “If I had a million days I’d show you a billion ways you / If I had a million lives / I’d love you a million times”. This part in the story reinforces John’s feelings towards his lover, as if he had a million lives he would without a doubt pick his lover every single time. “Flames” reminisces over the remains of a relationship gone sour. “It’s too late to argue who’s to blame, it's time we got out away from these flames” is a line that encapsulates John’s plea throughout the song that both parties would benefit from leaving the relationship. “No White Lies”, is a bittersweet last attempt to repair a relationship that inevitably will end, as the line “There’ll be no white lies my dear, this time” is a last resort at forgiveness in order to change the story before it ends. The final song “Him” is the last chapter-like song to conclude story, revealing guilt over his lover moving on to another man. “I brought it all onto myself / that’s the hardest part” is sung with a dejected tone, which concludes the EP’s heartbreaking, emotionally taxing story delivered by John’s soulful and engaging vocals.
John’s EP is a reflection of his phenomenal intimate storytelling ability shown through the power of music. It shares his story of the emotional trials that heartbreak and the end of a relationship can bring. Check out John Adams’ new EP No White Lies on Spotify here, as long with the music videos for “Million Lives” here and “Flames”!
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