In this soulfully smooth track Cynthia Johnson delivers with a raspy yet beautiful voice about the emotional pain and negligence that she received from her mostly absent father. As This Time Around progresses she finally comes to terms with eventually overcoming that need to be wanted and loved by him. Through Cynthia’s compelling and powerful vocals, you have a clear glimpse into her experience. I picture myself in a jazz bar listening to this song because of the clear Jazz and Motown influences and I believe this song would be amazing to hear live as Cynthia’s voice has an old soul quality to it which is refreshing to hear.
Cynthia Jones is part of an Indie-Soul band from Washington D.C named Oh He Dead and while the group is comprised of two key members (Cynthia Johnson and Andy Valenti) their lead guitarist Alex Salser, is also a vital part of the group. The percussion and strings section of the band is extensive and has a nice blend of harmonious cords and rhythms. The Oh He Dead EP recently came out and has a variety of sounds like Love on Hate which is a folk song while Blood in the Water is very much Rock and Roll. Although they are an Indie-Soul group I wouldn’t put their music in a box as they have a keen understanding of executing in different genres.
Coming back to the intense lyrics, Cynthia Johnson breaks down her father’s transgressions and mentions how he was committed to her at an early age and how things changed once she grew older. So much change that she even acknowledged the fact that he said he didn’t love her. In this heartbreaking yet empowering song Cynthia connects in a strong way and I would recommend you give a listen to the short EP that they released.
Also check out the music video for Blood in the Water, below.
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