Review: Landon Tewers ‘Withdrawals’
Landon Tewers ‘Withdrawals’ album artwork
This is Landon Tewers, not The Plot In You. Let’s just get that out of the way right now. If you’re looking for Plot, you can easily go listen to one of the best albums of 2018, their fourth full-length, Dispose. Now, don’t get me wrong, you’ll hear hints of styles that could perhaps be used by Plot and you’ll hear Landon’s wide range of vocal abilities, but this is all Landon, all unique to his personal styles.
After the release of Dispose in 2018 and nearly non-stop touring with Plot, what else was Landon supposed to do in his “spare” time, other than creating his solo follow-up to 2016’s Dynamite? Well, that’s where Withdrawals comes in. I mention Dynamite the same way I mention Plot though to let you know that they are, once again, very different. In a music scene that can often feel stagnant, Landon uses his solo work to really explore his musical taste and range. Where Dynamite was a more guitar-driven (much of the time acoustic), alternative, bluesy-rock hybrid, Withdrawals goes off into territory I’m going to deem electronic-driven R&B, hip-pop.
Don’t understand? Maybe that’s the point. This isn’t an album you just put on in the background to relax to. You gotta be on your toes! Be prepared for sudden tone changes and song variations out of nowhere. One track might start off one way, but don’t expect it to end the same, but that’s part of the fun. It’s interesting and unique at most every turn. You won’t need much of a learning curve though as the first track ‘Threatening’ begins with train sounds and an array of electronics and processed vocals. Once the track kicks in and Landon’s voice becomes clear, it has a defined soft build-up as the vocals swell and it ends with one of the heavier parts of the album. It's a clear warning to expect the unexpected (no matter how cliche that may sound).
There are some screaming (unclean) vocals on Withdrawals as well. It certainly isn’t totally devoid of that style, but it’s done in a much different capacity. If you’re looking for a track similar to Dynamite though, look no further than the track ‘She Thinks Of Me’. It has that signature Landon Tewers swagger. I won’t give away the line though, you can listen for yourself. Even though he might not be like this in person, he pulls off the cocky persona very well on those types of tracks. But, on the other end of the spectrum, there are very poppy tracks interspliced throughout the album as well. ‘I Don’t Wanna Be The One That Let You Go’ has a clear ballad feeling, while ‘Brush Street’ boasts a great duet-feel feature with Chantell Moody from the band Fort Never.
Withdrawals is an eclectic mix and something you don’t often get to hear in the scene if it’s even in that realm at this point. The production value is very impressive. The ability to mix all of the genres Landon inserts is a true skill. It allows the listener to accurately process all of the twists and turns the album creates and you’ll need multiple listens through to catch some of its’ subtlety. If the production wasn’t on point, you’d have a muddled mess. The only way you could ever say the Landon Tewers is predictable is that he’s predictably unpredictable and that brings a creativity that will always be infectious.
Listen to the first single released ‘Something to Lose’ below!