Somewhere at the back of a busy restaurant a single spotlight points at a lone man standing at the front of a stage while a band plays under cheap  incandescent bulbs. The man stands there, wearing his heart on his sleeve, singing his experiences, mixing them among the sounds of laughter and side conversations, its patrons oblivious to what is right in front of them. A regular at the bar with a few drinks under his belt stares longingly into his empty glass, dreaming of the days of old.

There was a point not long ago where music was fueled by songwriters. It succeeded by speaking to individuals. If it spoke to enough, the writer made it big. By speaking to you it also spoke for you. The lyrics giving words to an emotion you know you felt but couldn’t express. Inevitably it would fade into the background having served it’s purpose.

For the last decade Al James and Dolorean have traveled the world playing their music and giving words to those who had been searching for them. With the help of Partisan Records, Dolorean is releasing their fourth studio album The Unfazed. The title offering an honest glimpse into the seemingly grounded mentality their music offers.

Opening up and allowing you inside their intimate thoughts, we’re met with well versed instrumentals and lyrics that guide you through the emotions of a relationship most have felt “If you find any thing I left behind, well you can have it, let it clutter up your life, the way you cluttered up mine.” The accompaniment of piano and violin to this songwriting only adds to the beautiful simplicity, if not a bit of melancholy. Listening to this is like finding an old love letter jammed in a shoebox hidden at the back of the closet. Sparking a feeling of nostalgia and connecting on a very personal level.

It is albums like this that give us reason to slow down and reflect. It is the type of record that makes you feel as though it was written just for you.