The Willing – This Is Our Life

The Willing – This Is Our Life – Album Review

Let’s see if I remember how to go about writing these things…it feels like it’s been forever since I wrote my last review.

What else can be said to start this up…this band makes it tough to hate’em with the friendly vibes they pump out, which I seem to remember being the case the last time I reviewed The Willing’s tunes back in 2021 for their album Full Circle.  The humble songwriting of their title-track feels very symbolic of the men behind the music…there’s no BS or pretense, it’s like…well…I mean, it’s practically factual I’d assume.  We’ll talk about the conceptual possibilities that exist in this record at points throughout the review, but suffice it to say, if that’s what they were going for, “This Is Our Life” serves as a solid introduction to the idea.  In my opinion, after having a good listen to this record over the past week or so, I think it would have made an equally strong closing tune too.  I wonder if they wrestled with that, or if it just seemed like a more natural fit for the folks behind the music to have this up front as a statement about what their new album is really about.  Anyhow…I’ll leave that to them to tell the story to ya one day, but I’m happy with the opening cut on this record and I do think it fits the narrative of this being an album that draws on memories and past experiences in a whole variety of ways.  “We did our best and we gave it all we had,” is a great line in this first impression of the album…they’re not claiming to have done it better than the rest of you have, they’re simply stating that this is the way they went about it all…living life and such.  Maybe we can all learn a thing or two from these fellas if we pay close attention to what’s in between the liner notes here…there’s something to be said for the wisdom that comes with experience, right?

Not that I’m trying to plug other names in their review, but The Willing kind of reminds me a lot of what’s been happening in one of my old man’s side-projects called Peacenik Collective.  The Willing displays a very similar respect to musicianship & having the full band involved, similar style of harmonies & such…I’m just saying, if this band ever wants to venture up north to do a tour, I think we’ve got an opening act for them built into Canada here.  “When The Heartache’s Gone” is a really well-executed tune when it comes right down to it…you won’t find me making any substantial complaints here.  I think I’m willing to go as far as to say that the chorus might very well be the most memorable singular hook that you’ll find on the entire record, but I think what really makes a track like “When The Heartache’s Gone” is the balance it displays through all of its parts straight across the board.  Spoiler alert – I’m not necessarily going to feel that way about every song on this album, so take it to heart, the writing and the performance is super strong throughout this entire song.  Big fan of this chorus, no doubt about that – and what they go on to do-do-do around the 3:30-ish mark is an equally cool moment.  All-in-all, I’d be of the mind that this should probably be the single/gateway in for new listeners…give it the full video treatment and such…”When The Heartache’s Gone” should be a track that listeners will dig universally.

“More Time,” and indeed the record itself, is at least arguably a concept album of sorts.  You can see right from their album artwork and the before/after pictures on its front, that This Is Our Life is at least a little bit of an examination of time itself as they reflect on the journeys they’ve taken in life.  “More Time” spells that out more plainly than some of the others surrounding it I suppose, but I think that the element of time and the effects it has continues to play a role in The Willing’s music.  How could it not, right?  Don’t we all get more reflective as we get older?  I’m not here to remind you that these dudes are starting to climb the other side of the hill exactly, but I will say those pictures of the band in their youth all look like they would have easily been friends with my dad back in the day, so I’m puttin’ these dudes in their sixth decade of experience somewhere, most likely.  In any event, regardless of whatever their physical age might be, they’re playing with a youthful spirit and a track like “More Time” confirms they’re still fully capable of kickin’ out the jams when it’s called for.  The smooth groove of “More Time” is sure to secure them another solid win in the court of public opinion, and between the first three songs combined, This Is Our Life has an enticing beginning filled with quality songs and stellar performances.

So let’s see here…”The Sky’s The Limit” – what do I think about this track here…what do I think.  Hmm.  I mean, I’ll put it to you this way…any complaints I would possibly have would only reflect personal taste and preference, so who cares?  When it comes to their execution, The Willing is an outstanding band that plays with pure focus and intention – ain’t that all that should ever matter?  I’ll say this…I think I felt like I was on the fence with the design for the vocals in this cut, even though I really enjoyed how interactive it is from the very first spin.  I guess I just wasn’t entirely sure that it would actually work as well as it does, but here I am, sittin’ in my chair tippity-tappin’ my life away as I’m listening to this album again like I have been throughout the week thinking about how much a performance like this can really win listeners over.  I’m just picky, so pay me no attention.  Like, there’s a kind of call-and-answer design that I personally respond to, and then there’s another level to it that almost feels more like it’s got a theatrical aspect to it, which I don’t dig nearly as much.  “The Sky’s The Limit” is ultimately more on that theatrical side of the style I’m talkin’ about when it comes to the vocals and whatnot, but hey, I’m not opposed to a good time either.  In short, I might have bristled a bit at first, but I came around to digging on this tune, and credit where credit is due, it’s because they committed to every second’s worth of sound here.  I’ll put it to ya this way…it wouldn’t have worked if they didn’t, but they did, so it does!

“Unite,” you say!  On what, I ask?  Is this whole concept so very far beyond what human beings are capable of at this point?  Yup!  Sorry y’all…I’m at that cynical & jaded portion of my life on planet earth, but c’mon…it’s like…impossible to not walk around feeling totally defeated as of late is it not?  Even The Willing will point out how many crappy-ass things are happening in our society as they make their case for unity.  Fundamentally, of course I agree.  “Your love will save a life” is also an amazing lyric to have written into a song, and I dig that too.  I’m realistic about it all in the sense that…like, it’s hard to think there is ANY tune out there capable of bringing us together anymore, not just this one…and I feel like the overall message of unity is being completely lost against the reality of financial circumstances and the effect that has on the spread of misinformation/disinformation.  Like, if you were to simply take a walk out on the street and talk to people, you’d find the core values and message of “Unite” is one that would be relatively universal.  If you go online, you’re enveloped by a sea of influencers & paid agitators that will constantly seem like we’re all at each other’s throats day in and day out…and it’s exhausting.  Anyhow.  Yes, they get a little bit political here, but rightly so they should.  What they’re calling out for in this song is necessary, albeit probably impossible in the current climate we’re living in right now.  They put the best of their intentions on display in “Unite” and I would only hope their message resonates.  If they can get one or two folks to be a little kinder or more receptive to another one or two folks, then that’s the kind of dominoes we need to connect in order to make the kind of change we all benefit from.

I’ll fully admit, “I remember that old gym” was not a line I’d figured I’d hear in any song in the course of one lifetime, but here we are, it’s how “Last Good Love Song” starts out.  It’s funny when I think about it, because I GET IT…these younger days where the infinite possibilities of love and fun were right there in front of us all…it’s stuff we remember.  Sensory memories…like we could still reach out and touch’em.  With respect to the gym, I had a chuckle, because sure as heck this song made me remember my earliest school dances too.  Memorable, because I remember getting terrible advice from my mother than said we were supposed to be X-amount of space (arm’s length?) away from each other, and every other kid dancing was clinging to their partner as close as they could be…so that first one for me was pretty damn embarrassing.  I also remember dancing with a girl no one else seemed to want to dance with too though, and how special it felt to be a part of a moment like that.  Nostalgia runs deep on “Last Good Love Song,” but in that perfect way that really hits a homerun in a highly relatable way to everyone listening.  As far as the harmonies in this band are concerned, which are always outstanding, I can wholeheartedly say that they might sound better than they do on any other cut in “Last Good Love Song.”  For a band that never misses in that particular department…well…you get it, it’s truly high praise.

“Got To Shake This Feeling” is one of the tracks that felt like it stood out to me right away…but it took me a minute or two to figure out if that was actually a good or bad thing.  I felt like the vocals were a real positive from the get-go, as was the piano…these were the pieces I connected with immediately.  As far as the rest…like, the grander picture of the songwriting & such…I dunno…”Got To Shake This Feeling” felt a little bit loose or wandering in the verses, and almost too confident in the chorus at times, like they’re getting the most they can out of stretching a thin idea to its breaking point.  I really like the distance in the guitars and where they’ve got that set…and basically everything that’s happening outside of the verses and choruses, felt like it really landed well.  When it comes right down to it, I’m not saying that “Got To Shake This Feeling” can’t or won’t work…heck, I’d be the first to admit that I could be totally off-base here, and that this tune could easily be a lot of people’s favorite tune on This Is Our Life.  While the verses do seem a bit looser by design, there’s a sincerity that really work in that part of the song too…a real humble sound that goes extremely well with the transition before the chorus as well.  In any event, there’s no faults in their execution when it comes to their performance, so pass or fail, it’s really all about your own personal taste and what you like to listen to.  I think the pre-chorus, where they’re singing “Got To Shake This Feeling” is somewhat of a niche hook, but it’s a real effective one too.

“You Don’t Live Here?”  How does The Willing know where I do or don’t live?  Seems invasive.  What is that…that’s a sitar in the mix here, right?  Most of these dudes play keyboards, so I’m sure that it’s coming from that…but yeah…interesting choice to use as an accent sound in something as smooth as this.  It works, don’t get me wrong.  Part of me suspects that it’s due to the fact that everything else in this track feels like a seamless fit, so we kind of accept the uniqueness of the sitar sound a little more as a result…but yeah…I feel like it was a welcome sound, and an unexpected one to find as well.  This likely drifts closer to something you’d find in The Carpenters side of the spectrum as opposed to how you usually find The Willing much closer to their self-proclaimed combination of CSNY, Tom Petty, and The Eagles (which I tend to agree with, btw).  There’s a real smooth mid-60s/early 70s type of energy at work here…”You Don’t Live Here” is definitely one of the tracks I’d be putting up there with the best of the best on this album.  It’s got a real gentle swagger and charm to it that sways with a shimmering melodic magic that is as soulful as it is endearing…I mean, it’s to the point where I’d be fairly surprised if we didn’t all collectively feel like “You Don’t Live Here” belongs in everyone’s top three from This Is Our Life.

With three main songwriters in the band driving things, I think it’s natural that we’re going to gravitate to some tunes more than others based on personal preference & all that.  I listen to a track like “Outside Looking In” and feel like David Angel has a solid grip on what creates an accessible tune…this cut is pretty much guaranteed to earn a favorable verdict in the court of public opinion as far as I can tell.  It’s one of the easiest to like or love in the lineup of songs on This Is Our Life from my perspective.  It’s like one of those tunes where it just feels like it was entirely unforced, and everything simply fell into the right places where it was all meant to be.  Obviously this particular track drifts much closer towards their self-professed Tom Petty influences, especially in the verses of this song, but it’s quite a welcome sound.  I’ll put it to ya this way…there are songs that need advocacy, and there are songs that don’t – this is a case of the latter.  “Outside Looking In” will have no problem getting people to turn it up and sing along, and I’d fully expect this to be another one of the album’s most universally agreed upon.  Another track that I’d be taking a real good look at as a single to draw in more listeners to their audience…everything works extremely well on “Outside Looking In” and it was a song I looked forward to with every new spin.

“Keep On Believing” feels like its subtle charm finds the right space.  Here’s the thing…while it’s true that I would tell you that the band plays every song with the same degree of dedication and commitment, I do think that it’s more rare that they come out with a track that really stands out for its own individual hooks, you know what I mean?  Like, you’d be more likely to remember The Willing as a band, rather than perhaps any single song on the record.  Ain’t necessarily a bad thing by any means…in fact, I think it speaks strongly on behalf of the identity in their sound and the consistency of their songwriting as well.  Sure, maybe it becomes tougher to know which track we like better than which and all, but at the same time you’ll be able to go the distance through This Is Our Life knowing that if you like one song, chances are you’ll like’em all.  I don’t know that I’d say “Keep On Believing” would be my personal favorite, but I don’t hear anything stopping it from being YOURS…they play this song perfectly, with David, John, Rich, Kent, and Dan all revealing a performance that highlights their experience & professionalism combined.  The chorus of this song feels like the real standout element of it, which once again proves that the sound of the harmonies in this band are always an asset that can potentially lift any song from good to great.

Look…I’m as well aware of the fact that The Willing isn’t exactly in lockstep with the sounds you’re probably hearing out there in the modern-day scene…so yes, I understand that they’re going to naturally appeal to an older crowd that appreciates the very same music they grew up loving themselves.  That being said, I do think that we have somewhat of a responsibility to remain familiar with the roots of what we listen to today, and The Willing is one of the bands that bridges the past with the present.  You don’t find a lot of the same craftsmanship in music that you’ll find in “Girl At The Fair” in much of what’s out there today, which of course works both for and against it.  For, in the sense that if you like your tunes to tell a developed story, have the room for lyrical imagery, and instrumentation/vocals that all support the writing brilliantly…that’s the positive.  Against, in the sense that there’s not a whole lot of comparisons you can make sound-wise, unless you start digging through the crates of vinyl your folks left you with years ago.  The extra length of this tune really pays off well for them though.  At 5:37, it’s more than a minute longer than any other track in the set-list, but they use that time as exceptionally well as you could ever hope to hear.  “Girl At The Fair” ends up being a real fascinating highlight that delivers exquisite melody in the music & vocals, and it’s a genuine testament to excellent songwriting.

Angel has a really rich and thick bass sound on “End Of Time” that I really love, but much to his credit, I really like how he’s been able to find the right gear for each kind of song they’ve played throughout the lineup on This Is Our Life.  Listen to the way the sound opens up around the 1:15 mark of “End Of Time” as a result, giving way to some of the most impressive moments of solos and instrumentation in any cut you’ll find on this record.  It’s like, a stone’s throw away from something you’d expect to find in Spandau Ballet in a way…it’s got that quaint, easy-listening kind of style to it that is as smooth as it is satisfying.  If anything, they might be TOO on-target with this particular song…it’s got this delicate-meets-hypnotic vibe to it that was genuinely trance inducing.  Every so often when I’m writing about or listening to the tunes I’m reviewing, I’ll click the ol’ ‘repeat 1’ function…and I swear when I’d do that with “End Of Time” I’d snap back to reality and realize that a half hour or more had passed by while I was listening to it play over and over again.  So like…I mean…I never profess to know all that much, but I figure that’s gotta be a great thing, right?  I just zone right out into the music, man.  This is another tune that’s got such an organic warmth to it that it blows my mind…I had no qualms about listening to this song as much as I could between the time that I got it and the time I started writing about it…this sounds timeless to me.

Mmm hmm!  The warmth you’ll hear on “That Kind Of Girl” should lend itself to a widespread accessibility that’ll grab the attention of people listening pretty damn quick – that’s the good news.  As to whether or not they’re going to find enough here to back up the incredible first impression this song projects…that might be another story.  I’m probably a little unconvinced they will if I’m being honest with ya.  I might even go as far as to say that “That Kind Of Girl” ended up being one of the only songs in the lineup that felt like they dropped their standards slightly when it comes to the performance and writing, with the bad news being that it’s the next song that doesn’t quite measure up for me as well.  In general, I’d tell ya the band is still pretty locked in with their musicianship, even if the song itself isn’t too demanding on their skillsets…that’s still a plus and a checkmark in the right column.  As far as the harmonies go, I don’t think The Willing will ever let you down in that department.  What I’m not sure of this time around centers much more around the lead vocals, which seemed like they could definitely benefit from another couple of attempts in the studio to smooth out any awkwardness, and the writing seemed a bit on the lethargic side, whereas they tend to come off as much more inspired usually.  As I always tell ya, this is just my take on it…you might feel totally different than I do, so have a listen for yourself and you be the judge…but yeah…from my perspective, they’ve let a few things go in this tune that it felt like they normally wouldn’t have.  The music IS supremely catchy and inviting though, and I think that’s a massive advantage for this track that might very well carry more weight than anything we’d be critical of.  All you really need to have is a gateway in, and listeners will find a way to get into it.  “That Kind Of Girl” sounds like it has left a crucial ten percent still on the table somewhere along the way, but I’ll admit, even with that being the case, it’s hard not to be charmed by this song all the same.

Hmmmm…maybe just a tad long…maybe that’s all it is.  I don’t know that I’d have necessarily included “That Kind Of Girl” or “I’ll Still Love You” at the very end of this lineup, as both of these cuts feel a bit rougher around the edges than the rest do by comparison.  Would it have been a tighter record at a count of twelve songs instead?  Yeah…I’m pretty sure that it would have, though I’d still tell you there are redeeming qualities to both of the record’s final cuts.  Like the guitar solo on “I’ll Still Love You” – I think that’s an excellent spot.  I like the chorus hooks as well, even if I wasn’t always as convinced they were executed with quite the same oomph as the band has put into most of their songs.  As far as the writing of the verses is concerned, that’s definitely where I’m most concerned…it’s a hair away from what it might sound like if The Willing just phoned it in, and that worries me.  There’s a kind of writing where you’re saying what you wanna say in the way that you’d wanna say it, and that’s generally what appeals to me as a listener.  The flipside of that coin is that there are easy-to-digest designs that can feel like a songwriter is simply reaching for a word that fits the rhyme scheme instead of saying something more decisively substantial…and it felt like The Willing fell victim to that kind of pattern here at the very end.  All that being said, despite a finale that didn’t quite raise the stakes and/or might have been a step back before the end, these gents should be proud of an album that’s way more hit than miss, and that the true passion they have for their craft has been a standout element of every track that’s on it in some way, shape, or form.  Even on “I’ll Still Love You,” there’s plenty of stuff worth listening to, and I suspect that’ll always be true about the music of The Willing.  It’s inspiring to see these guys still doing what they love most, and long may you run my friends.  This Is Our Life reveals real craft & heart from all involved.

Find out more about The Willing from their official website at:  https://thewillingband.com

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