Chris St John leaves no stone unturned on his sophomore album Fly Away. Witty, vulnerable, and incredibly honest St John doesn’t hold anything back. After writing enough songs to fill two albums (his debut album I’m Dreaming was released in 2021) St John recorded Fly Away in Nashville, with legendary producer Stephen Wrench. Fly Away is 13 tracks of St John’s personal experiences and musical exploration. St John’s voice creates a calming effect on the upbeat tracks and makes his ballads far more evocative than they already are. Guided by St John’s smooth tenor voice and poetic lyrics, Fly Away explores the complexities that permeate our daily lives. Fly Away shows off St John’s incredibly poetic and profound songwriting, which is what makes his music so ethereal yet real.
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While Fly Away’s subject matter is often deep and poetic the melodies and riffs are explorative. St John creates musical experiences on Fly Away. No song sounds the same, but the softness of St John’s voice keeps the album grounded. It’s hard to categorize most of the songs on the album, songs like “Look For Me” have poetic lyrics at the forefront and relaxed electric guitar riffs that make you feel like you’re on vacation. “Hey Siri,” the most clever and bubbly song on Fly Away, opens with a soft African Groove that transports you to warmer months. However, no melody feels out of place, every musical approach works for each song and its themes. Whether St John is simply rocking out or going a little country, its effortless.
The passing of time, or the inevitably of life, is one of the major themes of Fly Away. There’s no question that St John seeks to remind his fans not to take life, or the people in our lives, for granted. Whatever time we have, we should be thankful for. Tracks like “The Disappear” and title track “Fly Away” tackle these feelings head on. “When they’re gone, they’re gone for good/Empty space there where they stood” is how St John opens the “The Disappear.” Immediately, I found myself relating to St Johns lyrics, reminiscing about those who are no longer in my life. While “The Disappear” is incredibly spot on, I found it made me honor those who have passed on in my life, rather than contribute to my sadness.
Chris St John, Official Fly Away Music Video
Fly Away is the title track to Chris St John’s forthcoming album Fly Away, available on all music platforms and at www.chrisstjohn.com on February 25, 2022.h…
St John wrote, “Fly Away” when his son was going off to college, it spans from his birth to his recent graduation. The honesty in “Fly Away” is the most remarkable aspect of the track. The lyric, “I just held you I cannot believe it/You’re heading off to live on your own” reminded me of the conversations I had with my parents before I left home. Even if you were the one leaving home, “Fly Away” is highly relatable. It chronicles the feelings and conversations that occur until you actually leave the nest. This is an incredibly moving and personal track parents or guardians everywhere can relate to. The magic of St John is his ability to make universal music.
Christ St John marries a deep love for all music with his personal experiences on Fly Away. A formula that balances out the potential heaviness of St Johns subject matter, with feel-good melodies that soothe the soul. Fly Away is a remarkable body of work that highlights St John’s artistry and songwriting, creating an album you don’t want to miss! Listen now!
Clay Burton