Fan of Bob Dylan and the sounds of folk? You’re going to love this latest release from Reece Sullivan! Coming out with his third studio album ‘Gethsemane’ in February 2023, Sullivan brings an immense collection of acoustic tracks that tell stories and give listeners a fantastic display of musical talent. Although the album is now on the way, it nearly never made it. Motivated by friend Daniel Sanda, Sullivan made the eight track album, as he went to solo to studio sessions, allowing his thoughts and creativity to run free, which resulted in the brilliant ‘Gethsemane’. Make sure that you do not miss this.
The brilliant ‘Highway Diner Plates’ starts off the album, instantly hitting us with the clear Bob Dylan influence. A fantastic guitar, that alone could tell a story, sets Sullivan up perfectly to give a vocal performance that stands out and perfectly matches the mood of the lyrics. The second track, ‘All the While I Was Away’, serves as the lead single, where we hear more of the same from Sullivan – more fantastic guitar that introduces wonderful vocals that tell a story. It’s a genuinely phenomenal start, with it setting up the album to be one of the best folk albums of 2023 already.
After such a strong start, I started to wonder if Sullivan could be this consistently great throughout the album, and very quickly he dispelled any doubt. Songs like ‘If You Know What’s Good for You’, ‘The Olive Tree’ and ‘I’ve Encountered Many Struggles’ demonstrate a quality that only comes with being a genuinely incredible musician. Going through the album with the same standard as the start, it’s a rare album that needs to be heard from the first second to the last.
With heard each second of ‘Gethsemane’ played uninterrupted, I can say with certainty that this is an album that belongs in the hands of anyone who loves folk music. A brilliant song in every sense – lyrically and musically, it’s of a standard that you simple can’t just learn, with messages that resonate with many. Reece Sullivan is an artist that deserves your attention, with nothing but positive words to say about him. Mark the release of ‘Gethsemane’ in your calendar, and make sure you don’t miss this!
