David Garnham And The Reasons To Live – ‘One Man Down’

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David Garnham And The Reasons To Live have released a new 5-track EP ‘One Man Down‘ and it is full of all the Americana country-folk feels you would expect from this extraordinary songwriter and his very talented bandmates.

Regrets, he’s had a few. But David Garnham continues to write and record quality music that make his regrets seem worth having, allowing him to tap in to the dark places to shine a light on things, and sunlight is the best antiseptic. Surely a lot of people will easily relate to these tracks on a personal level, and it helps that they are also compellingly listenable.

Garnham’s approach to songwriting is perhaps best summed up in the opening lyrics of the first track on the EP ‘Up & Down‘: “Maybe the junkies have got it right – find some you love and do it till you die.” Catharsis perhaps, direct rather than allegorical and therefore eminently relatable, David Garnham’s ability to voice the ‘everyman’ journey in stark yet dignified terms is a gift. DG should be required listening for any up and coming songwriter thinking of pouring his or her heart out for the world to hear – this EP is Messaging 101. Put the musicality of The Reasons To Live into the mix and it all comes out diamonds, and not necessarily rough ones.

‘David Garnham is the yin to his own yang’

The titular track, ‘One Man Down‘ is a foot-stomper and a lesson in commitment issues , that juxtaposition an effective vehicle making it both reflective and entertaining at the same time. This makes the listener pleasantly torn between the uplifting tempo and the introspection of personal frailties that David speaks of – again, this is his gift and I can’t stress that enough. David Garnham is the yin to his own yang.

Production on this EP is superb, and this team have produced a class product right down to the cover art. Shane Nicholson (Sound Hole Studio on the NSW Central Coast) recorded and produced all tracks on this EP and played on a few. Mastering is by Jeff McCormack and artwork is by Rob Brown, with photography by Fiona Morrison. Markus Dixon (No Culture Creative) has handled the layout in his usual inimitable style. The players:

David Garnham: Guitar & Vocals

Toby Robinson: Banjo, Dobro, Baritone Guitar & Vocals

Dan Davies: Double Bass, Vocals

Gleny Rae Virus: Fiddle

Alex Brindell: Drums

Dids: Guest Vocalist on Phantom Limb

You can purchase and download ‘One Man Down’ digital release here: https://davidgarnham.bandcamp.com/releases. The EP is also available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and the usual streaming services.