This fledgling singer-songwriter duo have done something pretty remarkable. They have charted on iTunes amongst heavyweights like The Civil Wars purely on a word of mouth basis. How was this possible? Well, one half of the duo is Matt McDonald, known as the frontman for The Classic Crime. High debuts are familiar to him – in the band’s Tooth and Nail Records days, their Albatross record set the record on the label for best record sales of a debut record. Does this short EP stack up to the precedent established by its parent project? Yes.
Before I continue I should mention the very key other half of Vocal Few. She is Matt McDonald’s wife Kristie, who shares vocal duties. She adds a soothing flavor to the project. Matt and Kristie put together a mix of 4 tracks in which each one is catchy without seeming trite.
“We’ll Make it Someday” predictably carries tones of hope. It’s here that we first see the couple’s complementary harmonizing, which is accompanied by the standard but sufficient piano and acoustic strumming. “The Fountain” carries worshipful vibes and would interchangeably transition from the pulpit to the bar. They invite listeners to “Come and drink from the Fountain, where you’ll never be thirsty again.” No doubt, many will appreciate the allusion to the Christian Gospel message. In particular, this song seems to allude to the story of Christ’s encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. A bit of electric guitar adds to the pensive imploring of the song. “Every Second” leads off with some uptempo piano and gives a familiar message of making every moment of life count. “Mexico” wraps things up in an enjoyable manner that leaves the listener in anticipation of more music from the Vocal Few, which has indeed been promised. With the recent birth of the McDonald’s first child, plenty of inspiration ought to be forthcoming!
Score: 3.5/5
