It is uncommon to see brutal honesty in music. True vulnerability, even more rare. Clinton Belcher is equally devastating in the soulful, yet not exactly song-like, "Save Me From Myself."
It is something extraordinary that this Oklahoma-based, Pikeville-born artist has created. Being an entirely free artist who writes, performs, produces, mixes and masters all the aspects himself, Belcher has removed any element that stands between his agony and your ears. The outcome is uncompromisingly real-life; the raw communication between one desperate human and another.
The structure of the song is brilliantly done. It begins subdued, lures you into a personal confession and then progresses on a steady march to an anthemic chorus which needs to be sung. The bass and drums are added, and they are intentional, just as the desperation of Belcher in his vocals. That contrast of stillness and vulnerability bursting out in full throttle plea generates tension that holds onto you and will not release you.
The most heartfelt part is how Belcher replicates the tiresome act of being fine when you are anything but. His philosophy of Grit and Guitars is not a slogan; it can be heard in every scratch and crude line. You may feel the touch of country and gospel giants--the heartiness of Jason Crabb, the gravitas of Cash and Stapleton--but this is all his own confession.
The central plea is repeated several times, which makes it a hook and an emotional anchor, as well as it remains long after the song finishes. It is the form of songwriting that turns individual suffering into a socially known thing.
Clinton Belcher has brought something boldly new in an age of slick pop-country, a stadium-ready howl, yet without the loss of its personal truth. It is the kind of music that can make people pause and listen and feel that they are actually being seen in their own plights.
