Kingdom Come and Go - Davíd Garza

Solo acoustic records are generally a mixed bag. If they work, it can seem as though the singer is in the room as you play the record, singing only for you. There's a level of intimacy that can't be matched by a slick, full-band effort. Yet if they fail, that intimacy becomes cloying, and you wish you could kick the singer out of your house for good. David Garza's Kingdom Come & Go is eons removed from his previous effort, This Euphoria, and is as brittle and edgy an acoustic record as you'll find. Garza takes the concept of the solo acoustic record and adds a heavy dose of raw intensity. More surprisingly, that intensity comes not just from the songwriting, but from the production as well. On songs like "Compassion," he toys with the intimacy of vocal and guitar, veering the sound suddenly from gentle quiet to fiery intensity. Throbbing drum-machine beats accompany him on "We on Fire" and "Turn Your Face to the Sound," creating a dull hypnotic rhythm over which Garza's guitar and vocals can simmer. Other songs, like the quiveringly delicate "Summer Sky," take a more traditional approach to acoustic music, using the quiet of minimal accompaniment to draw the listener in. As a whole, Kingdom Come & Go is a prickly experiment of a record, one where you'll cautiously welcome Garza into your home, only to be surprised that he's got far more tricks up his sleeve than just his acoustic guitar. ~ Matthew Springer, All Music Guide