Patrick Ames Slow Dip Ahead Review: A Reminder of Hope

The days of the singer/songwriter have been gone for quite some time, replaced by the glitz and glam of a pop music scene that’s more about looks than musical gravitas. Performers the likes of Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell or even Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson to a lesser extent have passed many new ears by. Their album covers make better t-shirts than listening experiences. The feeling of a performer powered by their heart and a guitar is one many yearn for despite being a rarity. 

That, essentially is what makes Patrick Ames’ EP, Slow Dip Ahead, so special. If nothing else, it is a reminder of two things- the days when the aforementioned musicians stole our ears and demanded our attention and the hope that their legacy isn’t gone and can still influence a world desperately in need of inspiration.

“More Than I Can Take” has an almost Jeff Healy Band, “Angel Eyes” feel early on, but mixes in some warm without any cliche lyrics. If there’s a theme here, it’s that the lyrics of all of these tracks are anything but predictable. “Entangled” is another track that has a similar feel, one that’ll make you think- and once you’ll appreciate more after multiple listens.

The same thing can be said for the musical composition. “Bop Bop Budha” feels like a Cars track, thanks to a sexy bass line and will definitely get your feet moving. It’s a departure from some of the other tracks, but is a reminder of the days when you could get a burger and a milkshake for just a few bucks and didn’t need to use your credit card.

Stripped of bells and whistles, “Somehow I’ll Find a Way,” released last year initially as a single, finds its way on this EP and it’s a welcome addition. Fueled by a smooth drum beat and his comfortable voice, Ames channels a little Roy Orbison here as his voice is extremely comfortable and fun. Feeling almost like a conversation you’d have with yourself in the car on your way home from your work, it’s repetitive, but by design. Also a tribute to classic ‘80s work ballads, it’s energetic, but in a lazy finger-tapping way. The duality between the faster drum beat and Ames, slower vocals made for a pleasant concoction of sounds that make the song even better the more you listen. Again, it’s a different track when compared to some of the other tracks, but it fits in nicely in the end.

A poignant collection of eight-tracks, this deep, but accessible EP has more than enough heart to make up for any shortcomings younger ears would find. More refined souls will see each track as a journey through the heart of a creator that’s seen his share of sunrises and sunsets, but still finds the need to share his soul through a six-string.

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 14230 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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