Guitarist/songwriter/producer Chad Cox has released Safe Inside Ourselves on his own Catalyst Records. Clean production and tight engineering (with a hint of perfectionism) characterize this solo project. Being an indie release, it may be hard to find, but those who get a chance to listen may like what they hear. Cox has a contemporary guitar-based folk rock sound not unlike a one-man U2, but with less angst and anguish. He could also be compared to Mitch McVicker or a male Sarah Masen. His honest lyrics are sung with a breathy vocal style, and the personality of the CD is laid-back yet deep. The more one listens to it, the more one hears. Whether it is a complex rhythm in the background or a subtle guitar lick, there is always another layer to explore.
Musically, the majority of the album sports acoustic and electric guitars accompanying bass and drums backing Cox as he croons lyrics about heaven, longing, and emotion. It is a personal, creative, artistic project. At the very end of the last track, "Room of Shadows," there is a small reprise of "Safe Inside Ourselves" that fits quite nicely and brings the album full circle. It comes across as a very intimate look at the artist himself rather than a façade for the masses.
Projects like Safe Inside Ourselves should be taken as a whole, where the themes and styles are all facets of the same jewel. Rather than being a disparate collection of songs glued together, this album is a fusion of the artist and his music.
3.5 tocks
