Nothing Ever Goes as Planned – The Gary Douglas Band (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Even when delivering such a poignant song as this, one that points to the cracks in the American Dream, the dark underbelly, the false promises and societal failings, there is something wonderfully smooth, soothing almost, about the overall nature of the song. That takes some doing, making such a heavy concept sound like a lullaby. But that is why his music stands out from the pack I guess.

Slow burning its way from a gentle country ballad to a restrained, acoustic driven rock song and finally to an anthemic crescendo, musically the song covers a lot of ground which seems to match the wide-ranging and powerful lyrical imagery. Gary Douglas knows how to hold your attention, that’s for sure, not only through the sonic journey you follow him on but through the compelling subject matter. Music is often escapist, designed to take you away from the harsh realities of life, but its great to come across an artist who isn’t afraid to talk about those subjects. He may not have the answers but he reassures you that you are not alone and sometimes that is all you need.