Kevin Schlereth / Families split is a soothing listen.

By Ryan G

The Audiofeed family is a community of musicians that have had a special place in my heart since virtually the beginning of Tuned Up.

So, when two artists that have been a part of this for most of that timeframe decide to join forces, of course I’m going to talk about it! Duh!

There isn’t much to be said about Kevin that I haven’t already articulated at some point or another on this blog. But, I’ll try.

In “Try Hard,” we are treated to a trademark of Kevin’s—a pensive, simple guitar riff on repeat for the duration of the song. “Do you think I could stop now?” he asks. No, he can’t stop being himself. That’s not the message of the song, though. What I get from this song is that we each have our own roles to fulfill in this life, and that we should be encouraged by this—not being able to go outside of that isn’t something to mourn but rather a reason to celebrate our own uniqueness.

“Autumn Night” is perhaps the most adventurous song Kevin has released yet. There is some synthesizer inserted into the organic composition that we’re familiar with. The result is still organic. There’s a bit of angst here. The song is about the importance of words and the impact they have, especially when the Holy Spirit speaks to us. I hear both reverence and annoyance here. The subject of the song wants things to stick earnestly.

I’m going in reverse order, here, but I thought I’d end with Families.

“Clouds” is a reassuring song about guidance. Soft acoustic guitar and piano form the foundation, held together by some ambient soundscapes that are so subtle you almost don’t notice them. It’s a nice song to hear in the morning, especially as I type this on the first full day of my vacation.

“Friends” continues in the same vein as “Clouds,” albeit this time as more of a narrative. It transitions into a plea, that makes me a little sad—you can hear the desperation in the vocals. “How many friends do I have?” is a question that could be interpreted as a prayer or a rhetorical question. I feel it’s probably both.

Four songs. Four moments to enjoy in a quiet time. I recommend time in solitude during the daylight—morning quiet time or afternoon contemplation.