John Stowers Album "Open" Review.

Artist: John Stowers

Album: Open

Released: 2023

Artist Website: https://johnstowers.com/

John Stowers is a singer songwriter that is blessed with the ability to write a hook with the absolute best. I would put his name in the hat with Richard Marx and Desmond Child, which is some serious company. These two songwriters are responsible for so many hits in the last 40 years that it would be easier to list who has not recorded one of their songs than it would be to write the list of artists that has recorded one. When listening to Stower's music one would think it's easy to write great pop songs. The fact of the matter is he is an exceptional songwriter that has "that thing" that separates him from the sea of good ones and puts him amongst the elite.

Lucky For Me has it all. It's bouncy, hooky, executed impeccably and just over three minutes long. One of the real gifts of a songwriter in the pop world is to get their point across without overstaying their welcome and becoming self indulgent. Stowers has this skill refined to a science. Short, sweet and fiercely memorable songs are what he does at the highest level.

A standout track is Change it Up Baby. It has a late 70's band influenced by The Beatles vibe, with a modern day production. The band is tight and driving without being overbearing at any point. The attention to details is apparent at every turn of this cut. The performance is miles above average, as is the production. All too often the mixes on pop / adult contemporary music the drums get buried, in an effort to keep it from feeling too rock and roll. That is not the case here at all. The drums are right up front in the mix creating a super fun groove that is downright infectious. If you're not moving to this one, you need to visit a doctor. 

Tragic Tom is another cut that harkens back in time without feeling dated. At first listen I had a picture of a scene from The Monkees television show. There was always a song featured in those episodes that was incredibly catchy and fun, as is this one. To make a song that appears to be about a Debbie Downer feel as fun as this one is quite a skill. The verses and the chorus are equally catchy as if Stowers intended the whole song to be choruses and just decided what order to arrange them into.

Weak Days was one of my favorite cuts as well. It has a clever play on words and a catchy guitar line that is as hooky as some of the later more mature Bon Jovi tracks. It would sit right at home on the Bon Jovi Nashville inspired album "Lost Highway". Like them or not, the hooks are undeniable. Stower is closer to Train and the Americana side of adult pop, but the hooks are equally contagious. In many ways he is like a smoother, more refined Tom Petty.

Stowers is a top tier songwriter with a delightfully relaxed vocal delivery. The band is as solid as granite and the production left no detail unattended. He is clearly influenced by the greatest songwriters since the Brits invaded. Names like The Kinks, The Beatles, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac come to mind. I could write 10,000 words on his ability to craft a song, or a sentence that simply states his songs are perfect compositions. If you are a fan of adult contemporary pop tracks Stowers is a must listen. He has John Mellencamp hooks with a 21st century sensibility and production values. A great song is timeless, but the production often disguises that over time. I don't think Stowers' music will suffer that fate. I hope this record finds the success it deserves!