SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: R.W. ROLDAN – CAN YOU FEEL THIS

R.W. Roldan
Can You Feel This
Allswell Records

With Americana, Country, or however you want to label that genre or genres, one of the key things that keeps coming up as a key ingredient in producing real, deep, and meaningful music is life experience. No wonder many artists, from Johnny Cash to any of the so-called outlaw country artists like Townes Van Zandt or Stave Earle came with their (and the genre’s) best work once they have had some life experiences, usually later in life, to remember.

Based on his latest album,Can You Feel This,San Fernando Valley, California singer/songwriter R. W. Roldan’s work can easily fall into this category. Having started out with a number of different bands, and releasing his first album In California Country back in 2006, R.W.’s life experience comes through in practically every note on this new album.

To begin with, his father was an outlaw biker and his mother was 16 when he was born. The family was homeless for a few years, and he joined the navy at the age of 17, taking him around the world. But life experiences themselves wouldn’t mean much if he were not able to transform them into meaningful music and lyrics, and that is exactly what R.W. Roldan has done on Can You Feel This.

It is tracks like “Those Who Fall”, “Foreplay”, “The Color Of” that are able to really transform both Rodan’s experiences, as well as his musicality, into an excellent Americana album.

Artist Links