Josh Damigo “I Will Be There” Album Review

On October 6^th, 2012, I stumbled upon a singer/songwriter by the name of Josh Damigo. I met him after a show he played on my college campus and thought he was pretty impressive for two reasons.

1. He played with a loop pedal and was damn good at it.
2. He was wearing a Run DMC shirt.

As I was leaving for the evening, he pointed at me and shouted across the room, “Don’t forget! My last name is DAMIGO. Don’t spell it wrong! And write nice things about me!”

Well, Mr. D-A-M-I-G-O, here’s some nice things about your new record.

I Will Be There, Damigo’s third full-length album, is dedicated to “anyone who’s ever felt alone,” according to his social media pages. The record takes on a creative aspect that is unlike his previous records yet still brings that classic Josh Damigo sound. Country influences are apparent throughout each track, as you’ll hear the sounds of mandolins, banjos and dobros.

The record opens with “Walking With Your Shoes Untied” which was the perfect intro to the rest of the album. There’s an automatic country vibe with a foot tapping, hand clapping, feel-good chorus mixed in. It has a Buddy Holly-esque resemblance to it, in which it was written with a sense of timelessness to it and can be taken for a variety of meanings. The next track, “Just Give Me A Call”, is the record’s first single and is the perfect radio single for a number of reasons. Sure, this song may have catchy lyrics and a good melody, but it is also thriving in personality. Those who have had the pleasure of attending a live Josh Damigo performance have seen plenty of banter and sarcasm. In this track, you see another side to him that is what every girl looks for in a friend/boyfriend/husband.

The record also has tracks that resemble his earlier recordings, such as “It’s Hard To Make A Heart Forget” and “Not Yours”. Both have that soft yet powerful sound that captures the listener from beginning to end. Stand out tracks include “Goodbye, Good Times”, a fictional tale on life as a criminal, and “Cold Killers”, which will give you goose bumps and needs to be used in the next Western outlaw film. Did I mention there’s an organ?

The best part of this record? There’s no age restriction. Pass this record along to family, co-workers, classmates, that guy that looks like he’s having a really rough day… Everyone can benefit from giving this a listen.

I Will Be There is out now via Randm Records.