Varying in tone, but constantly sporting just as much color as David Arn’s vocal does, the guitar element in the singer/songwriter’s new album, Watershed, is the most communicative component of the record, outside of the lyrics. On its own, the guitar part in “Blood and Bone” might not do much to advance a theme of emotional kinship, but, when placed under the command of Arn, we find it as powerful an agent of evocation as they come. There’s poetic value to almost every stitch of audio you’re going to hear in Watershed, and although this can certainly be said of the past material Arn has recorded, I think he seems to be turning a corner in this latest work.
Arn’s lead vocals in “Thought By Now” and the title cut are probably some of the best, most confident, and most expressive of any he’s ever put forth on a record, and it would surprise me a great deal if I were the only observer remarking as much. There’s so much swagger here, and while it never verges on the negative territories of arrogance or self-righteousness, I think its present enough in his performance to have a direct impact on how we’re to interpret the narratives here. He has a lot that he wants to get off of his chest in Watershed, and his utilization of as many artistic avenues as he can fit into an otherwise minimalistic pop-folk release reflects that, beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Lyrically, almost everything here relates to a self-awareness that I can only wish to hear more of on the FM dial, with the fantastic “Remember the Ring” and “Chain” defining the bigger picture in Watershed, beautifully. Sometimes, to grow into a better artist, a singer/songwriter has to look as deeply inward as they can muster themselves to do, from inside the typically restrictive environment of the recording studio, and though I’m hesitant to say Arn couldn’t get even deeper than he has in this instance, he’s undeniably getting personal for this record. I admire his willingness to take things to the next level, just for the sake of his art, and his efforts make this album the must-listen disc it truly is.
If you haven’t been listening to David Arn up until this point, I think you need to check out Watershed, released on September 13th, 2022. This time of year is often terribly underwhelming for audiophiles, but in the wake of a suffocating 2021, it would appear indie artists like Arn didn’t stay away from the drawing board – and their concepts are turning into incredibly thoughtful music this fall. Arn is someone you need to be paying attention to right now, and Watershed is a verification of his ability to any who might have questioned him.
Chadwick Easton