Wes Dean is a new recording artist but not new to music. Born and raised in Virginia, USA, he has been a life-long musician beginning with piano lessons at age 6, and playing trumpet, flugelhorn, and French horn in his high-school band. Since his college days, he has played guitar, acoustic first and electric for the last 9 years, but only for pleasure inside his own house. “I Sit Here Smiling,” a love song written to his wife and it is truly amazing.
“I Sit Here Smiling” is an incredibly stylish single with a fresh and spacious modern day twist. Wes Deans’ performance offers the softness and emotion of a delicate yet experienced leading voice, and the way in which this particular song develops allows those qualities to really shine brightly.
The structure of this song presents a number of changes throughout that come as quite refreshing and notably unpredictable. There are moments of complete calm, instrumental minimalism, vocal intimacy – where your focus is entirely on the lyrics and the honesty of the writing. Then in contrast, there are rising moments of intensity, sudden shifts in melody, vibrant bursts of instrumentation that are matched and supported by the singer’s flawless ability to perform at either end of the spectrum.
There are always so many good things to say about Wes Dean’s songwriting. It’s great to hear that this particular song is being given the attention and recognition it deserves, particularly considering its message, its depth, its importance. This re-master, as it were, has really brightened up every possible moment with the track. You can hear the organic individuality of each instrument, and yet at the same time you can lose yourself in the ambiance and gentle rhythm of it all – the overall finish underlines a certain unity between everything involved, so that hopeful warmth and that equally emotional sense of concern for the future arrive in hypnotic harmony with one another. It’s a beautiful song with a stunning video to accompany the underlying sentiment.
There’s a really good sense of balance within the release, and that makes it work well. The crucial elements of songwriting and composition have been incorporated, so the sound is effective – professional, crisp, warm, smooth, enjoyable. On top of this though, there are just enough flickers of individuality and flair to make it really stand out – it becomes instantly memorable, recognisable. Wes Dean’s sound is one that is likely to draw listeners in from all musical preferences – for the skill, the style, the enjoyment. Hopefully it keeps them coming back again and again for future releases and live shows.
