Chris Williams & Kid Reverie - “Warning Bell”

Chris Williams & Kid Reverie’s “Warning Bell” begins acoustically and slightly reminiscent of “Waiting,” by The Devlins, which, if you’re a fan of the series, Six Feet Under, will take you straight back to the pilot episode. On the other hand, if you’ve never seen Six Feet Under, you should probably culture yourself with a binge– in any case, as soon as the drums and organ come in, all hints of The Devlins are gone and it’s easy to see that “Warning Bell” has been given a proper mix and master as the production is tight and the soundscape is full.

The vocal performance here is simply fantastic, with a marvelous tenor and an emotional warbling that, at times, causes us to recall Gregory Alan Isakov or Ciaran Lavery, yet also manages to sound completely unique. This is what initially sold us on this track as the vocals have that raw honesty that allows you to believe every word. The lyrics deliver a message– a warning– to listen to your internal “warning bell,” leaving the subject matter in that darker niche that we prefer, making way for some deep introspection. Dare we say that this song could help to heal you.

After a brief, emotionally charged breakdown that consists primarily of acoustic guitar and vocal, the last third of the track contains a couple or bars where the lead guitar and the backing falsettos blend so perfectly that they nearly sound like a new instrument. From here, it hits us with the chorus once again before sending us on our way– presumably to press play again because no one will get enough of “Warning Bell” after only one pass.

The new album from Chris Williams & Kid Reverie, entitled Something From Nothing, releases on March 3rd. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that!

-TM