With his second album, Memphis Medicine, Gary Hector revels in showmanship and indomitable authenticity. Working with vintage sounds while drawing from such lyrical influences as Bob Dylan, Willie Nile, and Rodriguez, the Trinidadian singer-songwriter offers an energetic and uplifting set.
The title cut is a bright mix of guitars, drums, and slinky accents. Hector’s voice is buoyant as he fights the siren call of an illicit experience. On “Can You Love Again?” Hector asks a prospective partner, perhaps rhetorically, if they’re able to be vulnerable and relationally open given previous heartbreaks. Vocally, he strikes a balance between drawling and crooning, recalling early Elvis Presley.
With “Waitin’ Around to Go Viral,” Hector integrates earnestness and humor. “He stopped at the first bar / saw the girl with the cute scar,” he slurs, adopting a sense of remove while commenting how, on difficult days, a lifetime can seem like a non-happening. Still, even if disappointments are inevitable, we have an obligation to remain grateful and motivated. In this way, the track epitomizes Hector’s ability to acknowledge suffering while never losing sight of an essential optimism.
