Some artists spend decades helping other people tell their stories before realizing they still have one of their own left to tell. Thatโs the case with AJ Babcock, whose debut solo single โLazarusโ arrives after years spent in the industryโplaying bass for House of Heroes, writing songs in Nashville, and penning tracks for artists like Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts. Now, from a modest garage studio in Albuquerque, Babcock steps into center stage under his own name, and frankly, it sounds like someone finally exhaling after holding their breath for years.
โLazarusโ is rooted in reinvention. Using biblical imagery without leaning into religious messaging, Babcock frames the song around the death of an old self and the emergence of a new one, shaped by fatherhood, partnership and the maturity that only arrives after life knocks you around a bit. Itโs reflective without becoming self-indulgent, vulnerable without sounding performative.
Babcockโs rich, charismatic voice glides effortlessly through the track, sounding both tender and quietly triumphant. When he sings, โBut I am here, because of youโฆโ and later promises, โI am gonna want us until itโs stardust,โ the sincerity lands squarely.
The song pulls listeners in with glistening acoustic guitar strums and steady thumping beats that give the track both intimacy and momentum. It feels warm and lived-in, carrying the rough charm of something crafted in a garage but polished by years of experience. You can hear shades of Bruce Springsteen, The Killers, Arcade Fire and Sam Fender woven into the songโs DNA, yet Babcock keeps it distinctly personal.
Better late than never? More like right on time. Listen to โLazarusโ on Spotify.
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Review by: Naomi Joan