Stardust, Angels, Ghosts! by Nick Binkley: Album Review

by Gabe Finch November 23, 2022

November 23, 2022

Stardust, Angels, Ghosts! by Nick Binkley: Album Review

The spirit of country rock is enriched by the moving album “Stardust, Angels, Ghosts!” by Nick Binkley. From each track of this 12-piece musical journey, we hear the artist sing and play melodies set to warm your soul.

The album opens up with the punch of “Far from Home”. With heavy blues guitars and a rhythm section accompanied by saxophone pieces, it’s tough not to fall in love with the album already. As for the rest of the songs, the singer showcases a sorrowful, but majestic range and pitch. There’s something magical about his voice, like a pastor delivering a speech to uplift the church goers or a journeyman harmonizing life’s true essence through song. When “Freedom Bells” came on, it almost made me shed a tear. There’s such a powerful aura about the song, such as the backing vocals, gospel-like rhythm section, and overall vibe, that make the song very uplifting. As I progressed through this stellar album, my senses were granted a gift from Nick Binkley. “Brown Eyed Angel” is one such treasure, which includes flute pieces filled with tranquility, and a romantic ode to make you wonder about that special someone.

An interesting surprise came about in the later part of the album. “J’can Girl”, is an immensely groovy song involving a fusion I never thought existed, but delightfully accept. Nick exhibits an amazing performance through the fusion of country vocals and reggae. The song surrounds the air with the roots of reggae music with a style of rhythm that has a constricted time signature than the openness of country chords.