Note phrasing, patient playing, and using dissonant chords for suspense are all lessons learned from the British guitar hero.
A virtuoso guitarist with heart delivers a charged debut.
Patrick Droney
Patrick Droney (EP)Born to a blues-musician father, Patrick Droney started on 6-strings at age 6. He received the “New Generation Award” from the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation at age 13, which allowed him to play with greats like B.B. King, Elvis Costello, and James Brown. (Seriously.)
Now 26, the Jersey-born, Nashville-based singer/songwriter has independently released a pop-soul debut EP of five tracks. The first single, “Stand and Deliver,” cracked the Top 10 on Spotify’s Viral 50, with its bluesy, catchy hooks à la John Mayer.
When listening to new music, for me the question is: Does it move me? For Droney—whose writing is standout, melodically rich, smooth, passionate, articulate—the answer is yes. I saw him live and vouch for his Robert Johnson-awarded virtuoso chops. (You might recognize him from official Fender demos on YouTube.) Droney’s not one-dimensional, but it’s clear the guitar has his heart. It’s quite nice to see a young talent scorching on solos and authentically connecting with millennials.
Must-hear tracks: “Brooklyn,” “Ruined”