Tyler Ballgame: For the First Time, Again

"He flexes his range as if he's auditioning for Berklee (where he was a student for a short time), giving many songs an unfortunate theater-kid quality. He quickly establishes his power and range, but then seems intent on continuously proving them, which overshadows his writing. On "Sing How I Feel," his whimsical delivery makes the verses' attempt at hero's-journey poetics ring hollow."

"Along with the clear Bowie and Orbison inspiration, the album's influences reflect the tastes of someone recently enchanted by the romance of California. There's the airiness of the Eagles, the self-seriousness of Jim Morrison, and even the quirkiness of Strawberry Alarm Clock. Some parallels are quite overt: The album's first 30 seconds practically mirrors Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You," and Ballgame's delivery on "Matter of Taste" is lockstep with Dexys Midnight Runners' 1982 hit "Come On Eileen" (though with no killer hook to match)."

Five years ago, Tyler Ballgame was living at home in Rhode Island, singing cover songs and fronting a fledgling local indie rock band. After the pandemic lockdowns, he moved to Los Angeles on a whim, toiled on the open mic circuit, and eventually landed a record deal. His singing voice recalls David Bowie's theatrics and Roy Orbison's bombastic vocal style. The debut, For the First Time, Again, fails to put enough of his own spin on things and often sounds like the growing pains of a cover-band singer trying to become original. Theatrical vocal showmanship frequently overshadows the songwriting, notably on "Sing How I Feel." Influences include the Eagles, Jim Morrison, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Mazzy Star, and Dexys Midnight Runners, with production by Jonathan Rado and Ryan Pollie.

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