Written by Grayson Jones
"Sometimes you find yourself in a peculiar state of mind.” Similar feelings conveyed from AL Holbrook. The best version of yourself, lies within yourself, according to Al.
Al gets his point across in the best way he can by composing a Alternative/ Contemporary R&B gem called Regulate your mind. Al was raised in Dayton, Ohio and has been listening and creating Funk/Jazz music his whole life. It was only recent that he perfected his craft in singing raspy, cutting edge melodies like you hear in this track. One thing I can appreciate about Al is his ability to conform. Regulate your mind is a new personal favorite for me, but the simplicity of his other songs make you ponder if he’s really doing anything special? Or is he special as a whole?
Looking deeper into his music I recognize some patterns similar to the late great Bill Withers. The intentional rasp derives from his guts and belts crisp intonations.
Practice and perfection work hand-in-hand for Al. The track caters to Al’s voice in the best way for he to deliver his lyrics, in an impactful way. Some lyrics like “Recently I confess, I’ve been caught in between the "highs and the lows.” Tend to the strengths of his voice where the timbre feels warm masculine. Holbrook has the voice of that uncle we only see at cookouts, lucky for us we see his performing portfolio develop from working at the Miami Valley music festival to performing on stage with the Foo fighters. The potential here is captivating.
Check out Regulate your mind:
https://open.spotify.com/track/7anLFKsEFNPU3Wq8PNuzHD?si=AO6k173vQraGJOTBJHHKbg
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