Isaac Dunbar, Banish the Banshee | Album Review 💿

19-year-old pop wunderkind Isaac Dunbar brings the heat on his fourth EP, Banish the Banshee. 

 

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EARN HIS NAME: 🎙 Isaac Dunbar.  Dunbar is 19 years old (as of publication) yet, he is much more mature. Artistically and musically, Dunbar has a better grip on who he is than some artists far older. That’s a testament to his talent. Now, we just need more people worldwide to start listening to his music and supporting him.  His fourth EP, 💿 Banish the Banshee is a great starting place.  Over the course of eight tracks and 24 minutes of music, the wunderkind brings the heat.

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“Sunburn”

“I stepped out the house today / But ad to turn around / ‘Cause that girl over there, there, she / She tore my heart out.” Woo! Isaac Dunbar kicks off Banish the Banshee with a bang! 🤩 🎵 “Sunburn” benefits from a lit groove, a killer bass synth, and enthusiastic vocals from Dunbar.  Furthermore, the songwriting – those lyrics – is incredibly alluring.  Isaac stays true to centering the lyrics on sunburn, masterfully incorporating love into the mix. The pre-chorus, chorus, and post-chorus sections are superb!

“Oh, whoa, you’re making it worse

‘Cause all your kisses linger like a sunburn

I said oh, whoa, you’re making it worse

‘Cause every time you try to kiss it better, it burns.”

🤩 🎵 “Bleach” has a tough, tough act to follow – 🎵 “Sunburn” is a marvelous tone-setter on Banish the Banshee. “Bleach,” however, is a bop on its own, serving as the promo single.  Dunbar does a fabulous job of incorporating Baroque pop, something you hear few 19-year-olds embracing.  The Gen-Z musician not only serves up a cool, colorful instrumental, but he also continues to impress with his pen.  He’s in a rebellious phase, asserting early on, “I should bleach my hair to make my parents mad, especially dad /… I’m gonna pierce my face in my rebellion, wow, what a sin.” Dunbar’s second verse is particularly impressive, as is the bridge (“I might butcher aa song, stir the pot just for kicks”) while the pre-chorus and chorus are quite memorable.  Also, worth noting, that there’s a key change! Pretty cool stuff, Isaac!

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“Gummy” 

Two juggernauts in and Isaac Dunbar isn’t ready to stop! 🤩 🎵 “Gummy” is short, but the sweetness and the energy can’t be understated.  Isaac tells Consequence of Sound that he “punk elements and ‘80s synth-pop with that superstar bass.” The punk energy is pronounced, particularly on possibly the most fun chorus of the EP. Isaac asserts, “I’m talking ‘bout love / I’m talking ‘bout sex / I’m talking ‘bout finery.” Woo! My favorite song lyric arrives in the second verse, where Dunbar shocks his fan base by stepping out of his ‘box’: “We slow dance, she confessed, ‘Isaac, I thought you were gay’ / ‘No, not today!’” Brief and potent, we wouldn’t have minded if Isaac had given us a couple more seconds of this one.

His self-described favorite from Banish the Banshee, 🤩 🎵 “Money on That,” is another G-E-M and B-O-P.  It all starts with those knocking drums.  Of course, Dunbar’s iconic opening lyric, “It’s not easy being this pretty” goes a long way too.  Like everything else on Banshee, the chorus is incredibly catchy, highlighting the titular lyric (“Take it slow, mess around / Lose control / I bet my money on that”).  Other selling points are the different things that Dunbar does vocally, well beyond his years.  He give us smoothness, harmonized vocals, ripe falsetto, and grit where he channels the likes of the late great Prince.  One thing’s for sure – put money on Isaac Dunbar.

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“Tainted Love”

🎵 “Tainted Love” continues the intriguing nature of Banish the Banshee.  The groove is lit, and Isaac’s vocals are youthful yet lack no maturity.  Again, I’m impressed by his falsetto, which is incredibly ripe, as well as the playful, fun nature of his performance. It should go without saying, we get another top-notch, infectious chorus. 🎵 “Fool’s Paradise” follows, continuing to explore the universal topic of LOVE.  Oh, the plight! Isaac realizes he’s been a fool, like most are at some point, because of perceived love.  The vocals continue to be FIRE, with – you guessed it – the CHORUS being the section to beat:

“Maybe it’s love or maybe I’m a little bit delusional

Maybe I’m holding on, on a feeling that I used to know…”

During the chorus, the music grows grandiose, while Dunbar flaunts his dramatic instrument. Penultimate number 🤩 🎵 “Banish the Banshee” was originally meant to be the closing cut.  Instead of being one lengthy, ambitious, theatrical cut, Dunbar follows with the shorter 🎵 “This is an Intermission,” the extended portion/outro.  The biggest takeaway is that Dunbar continues to show how talented he is.  There are older musicians who don’t deliver something as clever as “Banish the Banshee,” let alone those four consecutive juggernauts that appear at the top of the EP.

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Final Thoughts 💭 

It still irks me that more folks around the world aren’t familiar with Isaac Dunbar… yet.  This 19-year-old is gifted and has been since entering the game years ago.  There’s artistic maturity far beyond his years.  💿 Banish the Banshee is an impressive 24 minutes of music. I heart the inspiration that Dunbar takes from the past, well beyond his lifetime. All eight tracks are worthwhile. Bravo, Isaac!

🤩 Gems 💎: “Sunburn,” “Bleach,” “Gummy,” “Money on That” & “Banish the Banshee”

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🎙 Isaac Dunbar • 💿 Banish the Banshee • 🏷 RCA • 🗓 5.27.22

[📷: RCA]

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