Send "John Garrison " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Absolutepunk |
 Another year, another underrated British talent? Heard this story before? Don't let that stop you from reading on. British singer-songwriter John Garrison, former lead singer for Universal Recording artists Budapest, is worthy of a bit more than 15 minutes of fame. On his sophomore full-length Departures, the New York City resident utilizes glossy production and a bevy of layers, strings and keys to create an engaging, polished collection of 13 mid-tempo charmers. The disc starts off with the radio-ready "Let's Run," which is clean and slick and seems to subscribe to the Mat Kearney model of rock. No not the rapping Mat Kearney, City of Black and White Mat Kearney. Garrison has a decent voice but "Let's Run" doesn't exactly allow him to showcase it. Instead, the music takes center stage and the song coasts along in an inoffensive, hummable manner that seems destined to be a crowd-pleaser. The playful "I Leave on Friday," has a bit of a sing-song delivery and the midtempo movement is amiable, confident and inviting. One would not be surprised if the song found its way in Starbucks stores. Departures first towering achievement comes in the form of "So Close," a gorgeous, far-reaching ballad that's powerful, gripping and heartwrenching. Highlighted by a circular guitar, "So Close" is the kind of song that can most certainly vault Garrison into the American limelight....full text |
| Hangout |
| The album title itself, "Departures," is drawn from John Garrison's personal experience as he leaves the musical comfort zone of London, and sets off on a personal journey to the big New York City. As with any artist who would venture out to a strange land to write and record an album, a lot of these songs (If not all) come fuelled with emotion and musical brilliance as Garrison himself seems to grow and experiment as a writer and artist. "Departures" is something of a musical diary of Garrison's journey to the States, documented in a musical form. Tracks like ‘I Leave on Friday’ and ‘Lets Run’ stress the impact this personal adventure has made on his musical growth. This album is a great example of the acoustic based genre as a whole, offering soft and chilling compositions. John Garrisons mature approach to music is nothing short of impressive. For fans of artists such as James Blunt or even Elvis Costello - this album is a must. It may not provide anything new we haven’t seen from the Acoustic genre, sticking primarily to the basics of piano, guitar and subtle drums, this album is still going to be something you will want in your music library....full text |
| Popmusic |
| Since the release of his 2007 debut album Above The Cosmos, Garrison has largely performed as a session musician, playing bass for James Blunt and guitar for Natalie Imbruglia. During which time however, the multi-talented midlands born instrumentalist has managed to write and produce twelve tracks influenced by his experiences touring the world with the aforementioned radio stars. With tracks entitled Let’s Run, I Leave On Friday and Go, Departures is certainly an apt title for a collection of songs which Garrison admits are primarily about movement and relocation. A Positive Progression The album opens with Let’s Run, an uplifting call to break free and look forward to a change of environment and, with the exception of a borrowed accordion, the composition bares little resemblance to the somewhat downbeat tone of Garrison’s previous work. The lively tempo of this initial tune, the first single to be taken from the record, is carried into the subsequent piece I Leave On Friday, a celebration of having a loved one to miss when the time comes to depart temporarily. At this point, the strings which featured so prominently on Above The Cosmos are re-introduced, preserving the John Garrison sound....full text |
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