Alternate Root Magazine Side II Review.
John Batdorf (from the album Side II available as a self-release) (by Danny McCloskey)
Folksinger journeyman John Batdorf bookends his solo debut in 2004, Side I, with a new release, Side II. The album is a footnote in a career with multiples chapters, reaching back to 1971 when John Batdorf as an 18-year-old signed his first record deal with Atlantic Records. The years have accumulated around John however his songs and delivery shine as bright as when the man first rose to the stage carrying a guitar. Side II opens with a promise in “I Saved My Finest Love Song Til Now”, his voice sugar sweet and smooth to help every word ring true. Bright strums are the music bed when John Batdorf asks tough questions in “If I Could Make the Whole World See” and demands answers from a world full of hate with “Why’s My Heart Broken”. Written during the pandemic, the downtime allowed John Batdorf to stay focused on crystal clear songwriting as Side II demonstrates when he asks “Are We Ever Gonna Be All Right”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to John Batdorf on Spotify
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