We all found ourselves at a loose end during the Covid-19 pandemic, with plenty of time on our hands. Some of us turned our hands to baking, others gardening, or handcrafts. Charles Greene likewise found himself with plenty of time to do something new, and the result was his new album, ‘The Door Is Always Open’.
Picking up his acoustic guitar, Charles started writing songs, taking inspiration from other guitarists such as Paul McCartney, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, and Ed Sheeran, he was able to travel down other creative avenues, which could only be found by using real, live instruments.
Later, when recording, he did take advantage of the electronic music software on his laptop, allowing him to fuse a broad spectrum of genres. Opening track, ‘From Now Until’ is sparse and spare, with just a harp loop and a staccato percussive beat under Greene’s almost rapped lyrics, while he opens up to a wider range of instrumentation in ‘Carry On’, which also allows him to showcase his vocal talents.
The music becomes more beat-driven with the languid, ‘Do You Know Where You’re Going?’ while track 4, ‘In The Vacuum of Space’ features a keyboard loop and echoing, breathy vocals, set to what feels like a metronome click keeping time. The abrupt finish intensifies the whole desolate feel of the song.
The final track of the 9 song album, ‘Trapped In The Algorithm’ is best listened to through headphones, in order to fully capture the oscillations between the left and right sides. While the music darts from side to side, Greene’s vocals remain constant in the centre, a solidifying force.
Speaking of ‘The Door Is Always Open’, Charles Greene said,
“I’m a minimalist at heart, in basically all walks of life. This naturally translates to my music as well. I’ve come to realize I prefer my music barren and vast, much like the universe we’re lost within. So I like to give each individual instrument its own space in the void.”
He adds that it feels like “home”,
“A place of solitude after a long day. A place to refrain from the existential dread as we drudge in and out of work.”
‘The Door Is Always Open’ is out now, and available to stream and download here.
You can find out more about Charles Greene and his music online on Facebook and Instagram.
