When we last left Dave Vargo back in December, his EP made a great impression. The two tracks featured on the EP showcased the robust aesthetic of Dave Vargo and his songwriting chops along with some great guitar work. Spaces In Between continues this trend, with many eclectic styles at work. From more subtle charm to heavier, head-bobbing songs Spaces In Between does a good job expanding on the ground laid by his EP late last year.
From start to finish, Spaces In Between is a guitar-fueled ride that seeks to tell a story. Tracks such as This Moment On and Nowhere Else showcase a wonderful sense of emotion in Vargo’s unique vocal aesthetic. They also set a foundation for the rest of the album, as the entire package has an emphasis on the wonderful guitar work and hard-hitting drums. The track Without a Fight also shows a fantastic understanding of the instrumentals, as the guitar work is as smooth as the deep and groovy bass. Another stand-out track is Rewrites, that shows a different, softer side of Vargo’s instrumental aesthetic. It is a track with a dreamy quality that lulls you in with a sparse softness behind the stellar acoustic guitar work, only to perfectly cascade into the percussions in almost a sneaky way. You may find yourself surprised by their presence throughout the track, even though they make a crashing entrance. This along with EP darlings Battle Burns and This Time Around are just a few of the endearing instrumental displays within Spaces In Between. There are a ton of warm instrumental and musical surprises in this album and the vocals of DJ Vargo are full of heart.
On the whole, Spaces In Between is a good listen. Enjoyable guitar work and hard-hitting percussions define the album. The vocals of Vargo are polished, heartfelt and rugged. The only unfortunate quality is that you may miss them in your first listen. This may be a blessing, however as you will not get tired of the exceptional instrumentals at work here. For a first outing, Vargo has shown that he has what it takes if he is given the correct tools to work with. Spaces In Between is worth a listen, even if the vocal prowess is not fully realized. I await his next offering.
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