After several years of introspection and traveling the open road, John Wolfington has found his way back to his musical roots. While making a home in Los Angeles, Wolfington began to transform his experiences into an album full of harsh realities set to strange poetry and haunting harmonies. American Dreamsicle really is a reflection of the sweet treat. Wolfington’s lyrics, while chock-full of insight, are tart to the bite and a bit banal. However, once the acerbic outer shell of words melts away and exposes the marshmallow white center of rhythmical goodness, American Dreamsicle satisfies the sweet tooth. There is one particular moment on the album where “Shotgun” intertwines verse and sound together to make an earnest and striking example of emotionally-charged indie rock. “Shotgun”’s lyrics are subtle and abstract while the music is constant, complex, and evolved just as it is throughout the album’s entirety. The intricacies of Wolfington’s instrumentation more than make up for whatever he may lack in lyrical integrity.
--Brigitte B. Zabak
