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Daniel Merriweather
Love & War
Campus Correspondent Review By Karli Petrovic,
Syracuse University
Based on looks alone, most people would probably peg Daniel Merriweather as another John Mayer or crooner wannabe, but it only takes one listen of the Aussie’s deep, soulful, baritone voice before everyone is singing a different tune. On Merriweather’s debut album, Love & War (J Records), he showcases his talents mixing fast-paced pop-rock ditties like “Change,” which features Wale, with heartfelt ballads like “Giving Everything Away for Free.” Although some of his songs like “Red” take on a Michael Buble feel, the blues influences in songs like “Live by Night” set him apart.
The entire album takes listeners back to a previous era where his voice would mesh perfectly with the likes of Carol King and James Taylor. The best example of this is “Water and a Flame,” Merriweather’s duet with Adele, which very well could have been a King and Taylor collaboration. As his debut album, it often seems Merriweather tests the waters with his voice. Rarely does he take his voice to the limit, losing himself entirely in his music. He comes close at the end of “Red,” but this is simply something for fans to listen for in the future. After all, a voice like that “ain’t meant to go away.”
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