John Lowell Anderson - “A Lot To Lose”

Photo by Caity Krone

Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter John Lowell Anderson has just released “A Lot To Lose,” an energetic, but folksy number that is filled to the brim with introspection.

Anderson pitched us this song by saying it was about “saying yes to love while knowing the chances of heartbreak are always real.” And if that doesn’t just about sum up life, then we don’t know anything anymore. “A Lot To Lose” begins with a four count before quickly erupting into a full band production, complete with drums, bass, and some ultra-vibey guitar.

Anderson’s vocal has that aspect to which we often find ourselves drawn– very familiar, like an old friend, yet leaving us unable to draw any direct comparisons to other artists. “A Lot To Lose” has all the upbeat energy of Summerteeth-era Wilco and the melancholic introspection and subject matter of artists like Elliott Smith, yet it somehow manages to not sound like any of them, while simultaneously being able to fit comfortably among them.

There is a distinct vintage vibe occurring within “A Lot To Lose” and though its energy feels very modern, the ingredients are all organic and have been glued together in a way that will cause you to look over your entire life. In any case, we certainly hope that this is not the last we hear from John Lowell Anderson.

And for those of you who have heard “A Lot To Lose” and would like to hear some of Anderson’s previous releases, you’re in luck. As it turns out, this is the fifth single he’s revealed this year. At the end of March, he gave the world “Completely,” which beholds a softer side to his songwriting and includes more of a raw and melancholic, Sufjan Stevens kind of vibe.

-TM