Denison Witmer is a singer/songwriter from Lancaster, Penn., who has attracted attention for his acoustically focused, neo-folk songwriting ability, which has garnered lofty comparisons to Nick Drake, Sufjan Stevens and even Elliott Smith. Although there is no way Witmer can live up to any of those folk icons on his ironically-named release Carry the Weight, he is still refining his songwriting ability and is nearly ready to establish a distinct sound and name for himself in the folk world, just not yet.
The album's second song, Life Before Aesthetics,"" is a good example of the album's overall makeup. It is immediately reminiscent of a Shins/Guster combination, utilizing the soft, poppy acoustic arrangements that made both of those bands flourish. From the simple, repetitive song structure, to the consistently relaxed vocal delivery of Witmer, this song screams simplicity so much that it begins to bore by the end.
Although some of the tracks suffer from undeveloped pop structures, a few of the better tracks are stretched out and broken down, making the comparisons to Sufjan Stevens and Elliott Smith more warranted. However, these lofty associations are a bit exaggerated because Witmer's music does not do enough to stand up on its own and create its own identity. Instead, Carry the Weight is merely a toned down, more accessible and generic presentation of several of the strong songwriters Witmer is compared to.
Still, Witmer comes close to providing his own sound at times, most prominently on the title track, ""Carry the Weight."" This song has a natural and free-flowing sound, painting Witmer as an artist writing for the sake of expression. ""Song of Songs,"" similarly, stands out as a unique track and displays a side of Witmer's songwriting that is not seen enough on this album. It draws on Nick Drake, not only because it is the only fully acoustic song on the album, but also because of its rhythmically disjointed nature that does not feel anything like a basic, produced pop song, as some of the other tracks do.
The other song with this same, natural feel is ""Catholic Girl."" Although the lyrics are a bit repetitive, the mixed rhythms and tones of the piano and acoustic strike a perfect match with Witmer's solemn delivery. Standing proud as the only song on the album that causes your head to nod with the beat in agreement, ""Catholic Girl"" is the album's standout.
Even though these few songs display potential, they provide even more frustration, reminding listeners that Witmer has not yet figured out how to consistently display the smart, intellectuality of Sufjan Stevens that makes listeners think about the music, nor the ability to cut to the bone and force listeners to engage in his music emotionally as Elliott Smith does. Yet, he has shown the potential to write songs engaging enough to attract that type of attention, all he needs to do now is figure out how to tap into that ability over the course of an entire album.
