Phillip LaRue – Let the Road Pave Itself
Apr 6, 2009 CD Reviews
Posted by
wiegmake
Phillip LaRue
Let the Road Pave Itself
BEC Recordings
Grade – B+
As you may recall, Phillip LaRue was half of the sibling duo aptly known as “LaRue.” Phillip and his sister Natalie recorded three projects together as “LaRue” and did some extensive touring as well. The duo was in their teens at the time and this particular endeavor ended after Natalie was later wed. Phillip went on working on music in the background by both producing and writing songs for others. Let the Road Pave Itself then marks Phillips’ return to the forefront of the music business.
The coolest thing about this whole process is that it is very evident that Phillip has grown and matured as an artist. In some ways it is a survival story. I say that because being thrust into a life on the road at age 16 can be very difficult and in some ways destructive. The duo had their fair share of difficulties as they recorded and toured. It is easy to tell from Phillip’s solo debut that he has grown musically out of all this.
The recording process of Let the Road Pave Itself also shows a bit of confidence as Phillip choose to stay with a more organic format, recording live in the studio with a band instead of mixing tracks and using digital trickery to make the final product.
The total accumulation of his experiences, growth and confidence has given new life to the singer/songwriter genre. There is an evident urgency in his voice as he sings deeply personal songs about life – the painful and the joyful – all with an impending hope – “I want to chase the daylight like it’s the last day of my life” (“Chasing the Daylight”).
It is to his credit that Phillip has chosen to come back to the forefront of recording and that he was willing to take a risk in focusing on the creative process instead of following market trends. I highly recommend checking out Let the Road Pave Itself by starting at Phillip LaRue’s official website.
- Ken W.
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