Talon David’s “Love at a Distance” isn’t your typical “love” song. There is a poetic delicacy present in every aspect of the song – the singing, vocal arrangement, lyrics, and interplay between the guitar and percussion has a reach far exceeding what pop songs attempt usually. It isn’t lowest common denominator in any way. Writing with a five-star songwriter such as Thornton Cline isn’t a matter of her needing a veteran talent to reinforce her own underdeveloped skills – it helps flesh her ideas how and gives them a professional polish they might otherwise lack. Talon David wants success, she’ll get it on her terms, and she’s always attuned to ways of accomplishing that without sacrificing her artistic self-respect.
URL: https://www.talondavid.com/
It has a light amount of orchestration. It initially begins with just her voice and guitar before percussion enters. It may seem like, on an initial listen, that David and Cline weave the song together from minimal elements, but it bears closer attention. The vocal arrangement, in particular, reveals nuance of both timing and sound that enhances David’s lead vocal. It never strikes you as gimmicky, overwrought, or meaningless affectation. The vocal arrangement brings an understated pop influence to the fore as well.
Her voice is a marvel. David explores her range with the sort of effortless elan that longtime music listeners have come to expect from top-shelf talents. What will hit deepest with many listeners, however, is the self-assured way she navigates through the song’s verses and chorus. It’s the performance of a singer much older than David and sparkling with the energy of youth. Her phrasing, as well, further ratchets up the poetic suggestiveness of the words.
The song’s percussion rates as its most interesting musical touch. It sounds a little like ad-hoc or “found” percussion, but let’s make a distinction there. It is inventive rather than experimentation for the sake of it and has a positive transformative effect on the song. The other instrumentation doesn’t maintain a constant presence throughout the track, but the production captures it clearly and pairs it well with David’s voice.
The song’s length reinforces its vibe as solid singer/songwriter material. David and Cline are wise to not tax listener’s attention with counterproductive self-indulgence. The overall mood of the piece is another part of the package working in David’s favor. There’s a vulnerable and inviting feel surrounding this song without it ever casting aside its moments of grit and gravitas.
Those come thanks to David’s voice. It can reach ethereal heights without any obvious strain before gliding through warm valleys where her voice has a seductive, yet never crass, quality. It has been said that bands are only as good as their drummers but close to the same can be said about singers. There are those among us who possess such spellbinding physical gifts as singers that are capable of taking a merely fine song and catapulting it to a higher level altogether. Talon David does that with “Love at a Distance” and it’s a joy to hear.
Chadwick Easton