Review of Whispers After Dark by Kory Hilpmann



DISCLAIMER: Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. All music is subjective to the listener.                                    Feel free to leave comments or your own opinion! Thanks! 


Kory Hilpmann is a 24-year-old classically trained pianist from Oakland, New Jersey. He found his love for music by writing songs and playing by ear. Eventually, Hilpmann decided to study music performance/composition at Elizabethtown College and started writing emotionally driven music from his own life experiences. Most of his songs are very personal. He is inspired by artists such as Ben Folds, Billy Joel, Seabird, Bright Eyes and Frank Turner. Hilpmann would classify himself as indie folk pop and also plays guitar and harmonica. "Whispers After Dark" was released this past February and is a collection of delicate songs featuring homemade drum sounds created using wooden stools, notebooks, snaps, claps, tambourines and foot stomps. I can imagine people singing this great collection of songs around a campfire in mid-July.  

"Lost in Your Eyes" is an uplifting track that starts off with bright acoustic guitar chords followed by a sweet and full-bodied piano melody. The wooden stool mimics the sound of bongos and adds movement to the track. The tambourine adds some shimmering high-end sparkle. Everything slows down around 43 seconds in and Hilpmann's voice is soft and subtle. The harmonies are able to add dimension and width and make the song seem ever-expanding. The song continues to change tempo, which adds variety. My favorite part is around 3:18 when only the piano and guitar are playing. The change there was unexpected. The ending of the song brings everything to a satisfying close. The lyrics seem to be very personal and were written about someone that Hilpmann cares about deeply. 

The opening guitar riff to "Ntmta" really reminds me of the song "Shine" by Collective Soul. The song starts out small and opens up to feature piano, harmonica, foot stomps and claps. I really love the reverb on the vocals. It sounds as if Hilpmann is singing in a cave near a mountain somewhere. The little jam section that starts around 3 minutes is mighty, then drops down suddenly to just guitar and vocals. He makes great use of space in this one. 

"Wounds" starts off with solo piano then expands into a section that features larger-than-life drums and acoustic guitar. The song keeps the same tempo and feeling throughout. The sound of the snare drum is tight, yet distant. 

"I Don't Need Your Help" features some beautifully complex piano lines and the vocals are somewhat distorted making it the most intense track on the record. The oohs starting at 2:11 create a lush and haunting quality to the rhythm section that starkly contrasts the verse sections. Hilpmann is a one man army and states that he can do things all by himself. Sometimes all you need is yourself.  

"Missin' You" is very lush, warm and inviting. The stomps and claps fit perfectly with the guitar and piano lines. My favorite line from this song is "I know that we're not perfect, but we're perfect for each other." The guitar solo and background noise (city-like sounds) at 2:08 add a pleasant touch and the harmonica solo makes me feel like I'm driving down a long and wooded road out west.

"Anger Free" opens up with the sound of crickets and the great outdoors on a summer night. This song is probably the most introspective out of them all. Everyone needs to look inside themselves and make changes for the better. The acoustic guitar is emotional and evokes feelings of sadness and yearning. The oohs are like cries for help and he's making a statement about positive thinking. This is a nice ending to a strong and intimate body of work. Check out the album below, follow Kory on social media and go see him perform live! 

-JM

Score: 7/10

Favorite Track: "Lost in Your Eyes"



Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/02oW5wyFxCnCLy2opADpAN?si=dYfPjdV8TkST-tqFW_Dupg

Bandcamp: https://koryhilpmann.bandcamp.com/album/whispers-after-dark

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Koryhilpmannmusic/about/?ref=page_internal

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC16xieG54JaYQn7iBdC1OnA?view_as=subscriber&fbclid=IwAR1iFlI4Eg9LyMGrfAu0zdduohBkwIloui2uILuYwonX9Rg4ECLjB7_xPxI

E-mail: koryhilpmann@gmail.com

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