Australian singer-songwriter, Vance Joy, released his sophomore album, Nation of Two this Friday, February 23rd. After his breakout single, “Riptide” drew the attention of Taylor Swift in 2015, the indie-folk singer captured the hearts of many as he joined Swift as the opening act on her 1989 World Tour. In June, 2017, Joy released the first single off Nation of Two, “Lay It On Me” and also released 4 other tracks over the past 7 months as singles in anticipation of the album.
Joy – the stage name for James Keogh – co-wrote 6 tracks off the album with writers Dave Bassett and Dan Wilson. The remaining four tracks were solely written by Joy himself, and are clearly the most heartfelt and personal tracks off the album. With his delicate story-telling, and captivating voice, Joy appears to be a down-to-earth and charismatic character in Nation of Two.
Nation of Two is what it would sound like if The Lumineers and Mumford & Sons had a child. Joy’s music has a similar folk sound, with honest and compelling songs, like “I’m With You” and “Crashing Into You.” He incorporates quirky instruments like a ukulele and banjo into most tracks, to create a simple sound that is not overly-produced or edited.
Joy shows us how charming he is with lines like, If you need a light / I’ll be the match to your candle / my darling I’m ready. He also artistically paints a picture through his music with genuine and emotional love stories that have made an impact on his life.
Track 4, “Saturday Sun” is perhaps the most enjoyable song to listen to off the album. Strongly led by the banjo, the track is heartening and simply fun. The album ends with, “Where We Start,” where Joy portrays his strength in lyric writing yet again, using the weather as a symbol for his relationships.
The Nation of Two World Tour begins March 6th in Europe, and the North American leg begins April 13th.
Vance Joy, Nation of Two Rating: 8.5/10
-Maria Awad
