The first time I heard Dan Parsons was in the basement of the Goldmines Hotel in Bendigo and I was so enamoured with the performance that I bought his album on iTunes halfway through the set. Parsons is one of the few artists that I will watch silently for an entire set as he is commanding with his vocals, lyrics and guitar mastery.
He developed his skills as a session musician, traveling with Kate Miller-Heidke before finding his feet and doing extensive regional tours as a solo musician. Valleywood is the Brisbane songwriter’s third album, which in itself is a shining example of his strengths, having defeated the sophomore album curse and curating a series of releases devoid of fat or filler. Valleywood, however, is his first flirtation with mainstream folk, and he brings a new accessibility to his sound without losing his original country style.
It’d be easy to call out the beauty in tracks such as Angry Waltz and On The Way, Downtown, however there are secrets to this album that shine brighter. The chorus of It’s Not Like I Need Somebody’s Help evokes a need to sing along, as does I’ll Live and I’ll Die. The latter is an intimate portrayal of heartbreak, but nonetheless accessible with lines like “Now I’ve got these words and you’ve got your man / If I cannot have you I guess I’ll pretend / You tell me I’m happy, don’t fuck with the plan / So I’ll live and I’ll die and we’ll try to be friends.” Parsons’ vocals have an uncanny ability to make you feel as if you are his only focus and priority – a quality I’ve yet to see in another musician.
BY TEGAN LOUISE
