Dave Vargo’s Spaces in Between

Rife with the sort of smoky tonality that some would just as soon came from a raw, uncompromisingly passionate live performance in a quaint, acoustically-tailored venue somewhere, the guitar parts that are fired at us from start to finish in Dave Vargo’s Spaces in Between are perhaps the most charming element to behold in this second album from the singer/songwriter, but they’re not the only component vital to the creation of the record’s one of a kind harmonies. With the help of a potent vocal from Vargo, these strings will from will form a boldly colorful melodicism unmatched in his first album, and whether it be in the singles “This Time Around” and “Battle Burns” or deep cuts like “Nowhere Else” and “Without a Fight,” it’s as strong an entity as they come.

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/djvargo/sets/spaces-in-between

I love the production quality here, especially with regards to intricately melodic songs like “Someday,” “Rewrites,” “Miles Upon Your Heart” and “Track,” but I can’t say that all of these tracks wouldn’t sound even better in a live setting than they do in this capacity. There’s no dispute as to whether or not the bones of the aforementioned compositions could withstand the pressure of a stage environment – on the contrary, I get the impression that they were designed specifically with the energy that an audience’s emotional reaction in mind. He’s got the energy of an old fashioned troubadour in Spaces in Between, and I for one would love to see and hear how it translates in-person some time.

Dave Vargo isn’t playing by major label rock n’ roll rules in his second album; if anything, he’s going out of his way to establish himself as an outside of the box-style of songwriter who cares more about making a big harmony than he does filling out a catchy hook riddled with plastic pop frills. His spirit and his dedication are pretty refreshing to come by in 2020, and if he can continue to refine his sound moving into this new decade in the history of pop, I think he’s going to make a considerable impact on his scene sooner than some would expect him to.

Nicole Killian