I’m going to admit it. I’d never heard of singer-songwriter Charles Wesley Godwin before our good friends at LYRIC Magazine brought him to our attention. The West Virginia native released his debut album ‘Seneca’ in 2019 and his music has been branded as ‘Appalachian Americana’ and ‘cinematic country-folk’. As someone who’s reviewed music, particularly in this genre, for a good number of years those kinds of terms get bandied about a lot and they’re not often that accurate. In this instance though, Charles Wesley Godwin is the real deal and his new album ‘How the Mighty Fall’ is one of the most accomplished and deeply engaging albums I’ve heard all year.
Produced by Al Torrence, who Godwin collaborated with on ‘Seneca’, ‘How the Mighty Fall’ continues digging into the sharp songwriting that made Godwin’s debut a must-listen. Opening with ‘Over Yonder’, the album starts gently with an acoustic guitar riff providing ample backing for Godwin’s affecting voice, which has a delightful quiver that drips with emotion. Stirring pedal steel draws you further into the song and the production is so beautiful, you can’t help but get caught up in it. If you’re not hooked within the first minute, then you may need to consider washing your ears out and trying again.
“Lyin’ Low”, the album’s second track, ups the tempo a little adding a beat into the mix as Godwin sings about keeping his head down and getting on with his life. The song is fleshed out with intricate instrumentation and riffs that perfectly complement Godwin’s world-wearied voice. ‘Temporary Town’ sees Godwin warning of the dangers of living a passive life and not realising until it’s too late, while on ‘Strong’, an acoustic-led song, he sings of breaking repeated cycles to find a new way through.
Elsewhere on the record ‘Gas Well’ has a laidback bluesy vibe that allows Godwin’s voice a little more freedom to explore that quiver that is so deeply moving, ‘Blood Feud’ adds rock into the mix for an uptempo balls-to-the-wall adrenaline rush, and ‘Lost Without You’ digs deeper into the melancholy that underlies much of the record, pushing Godwin’s remarkable voice to the fore. The album closes with ‘How the Mighty Fall’, a reflective and wistful number that explores the inevitable downfall that we all face at some point during our lives.
‘How the Mighty Fall’ is an album that deserves to be heard and it’s far better than the majority of music that has come out in this genre all year. Charles Wesley Godwin is an artist who is underrated, which is criminal as he’s producing incredible music, and I’m hopeful that will change with the release of this album. Steeped in character-driven stories and embracing traditional songwriting, ‘How the Mighty Fall’ is an album that may take a little time to peel back its layers but once you do, you’ll keep returning to explore it even more.
Track listing: 1. Over Yonder 2. Lyin’ Low 3. Jesse 4. Temporary Town 5. Needle Fall Down 6. Strong 7. Bones 8. Gas Well 9. Cranes of Potter 10. Blood Feud 11. Lost Without You 12. How the Mighty Fall Record label: Charles Wesley Godwin Release date: 5th November 2021 Buy ‘How the Mighty Fall’ now
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