“Four Leaf Clover” by Jenson David

Four Leaf Clover, rising Ohio native David’s latest single, is one of those rare contemporary releases that truly feels timeless. The song’s distinct modernness is in its lyrical creative choices – allowing David to belt his heart out in a series of evocative, sentimental yet never tedious stanzas concerning broken hearts, dysfunctional past relationships, and finding love in the unlikeliest of places. It’s classic stuff, but the proof is in David’s freedom to be raw and sincere, sometimes at the cost of his otherwise more traditionalist traits as a recording artist.

His voice is crisp but smooth, wavering but still staying within an octave range that asserts him as an alpha male. It’s a sensual combination that enables him at once to come across as an open book, but in a way that is neither gawdy nor particularly maudlin. The more timeless aspects of the song manifest themselves in its distinctive, deep South composition. There’s no mistaking this is a country song, country to the bone. Whether it’s the drawling of an old-school electric guitar, or the general ambient whine of a synth in the far back of the track, musically Four Leaf Clover very much paints a typical Friday night in the backwoods of a Columbus, Ohio or Pikeville, Kentucky.

Regarding the specificity of David’s craft as a songwriter, it’s nice to hear that an actual story is being told for once. While proving himself a quiet master at subtle, undercutting hooks, David is less interested in slick craftsmanship as he is in simple but effective evocation. It’s the kind of track men can actually wipe a tear from their eye to, thinking of long lost and unrequited love many years in the past. When the full-blown nostalgia hits, particularly with the line I want to make you dance/I want to make you smile you don’t need to be a country music fan to feel the viscera in the pit of your stomach. It’s here that David, like many of the great country and bluegrass pioneers before him, becomes slightly experimental. Listen closely and you’ll hear amongst the musical layers elements that harken back not only to country masters but also to traits found in musical genres like folk, honky tonk, and blues.

The latter in particular David seems keen to take a page from. Being from Ohio and clearly dabbling in the state’s ambivalent mixture of country and folk music scenes, his slightly outsider status helps alleviate any downtrodden cliches the song might otherwise have faced in less able hands. The varying specificity of inspiration keeps the track fast-paced but soulful, and makes David a talent to keep an eye on as he prepares to release his next single.

Mindy McCall

The music of Jenson David has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division.  Learn more https://musikandfilm.com