What’chu Talkin’ ‘Bout, Willis: Meet Willis Earl Beal Posted by Lucas G. on 08/28/13 | Filed under Non Hip-Hop, Meet, Willis Earl Beal

There are so many damn artists out there, it is impossible to keep every single one who sparks you interest on your radar. I have a theory, however, that the ones who are truly deserving of you attention seemingly always find their way back on your radar one way or another. Its happened to me several times and the latest artist in the category is Willis Earl Beal. Looking back, I can’t believe I forgot about him, he is super unique and has a very diverse sound, heavily rooted in soul and blues. Beal is also known for putting on a powerful yet peculiar live show, which you can definitely see in his live performance of “Cosmic Queries”.



It might be a little over-the-top and theatrical for some, but there is no denying the power in his voice. On occasion these type of performances come across as gimmicky to me—I am a purist in that I enjoy a more traditional live performance—but this shit is powerful. You can tell Beal pours his all into it and is really captivating. As for the song itself, it is a good representation of Beal’s style; diverse. He goes from singing to almost giving a speech and it is hard to decipher what genre he lies in. The rest of his diverse library, from his forthcoming, sophomore album, Nobody Knows LP, doesn’t really help pinpoint his style; he is, needles to say, very diverse.







Three songs, three very different styles. Based on these three cuts, I am very excited for the LP; I mean who knows what else he is gonna try. You can’t help but be impressed at his ability to completely change styles. I think my favorite of the bunch is “Too Dry Too Cry” thanks to its roots in blues/ bluegrass. The vintage sound is pretty popular nowadays, but often, the artist goes for a more soul/pop rooted sound, but Beal’s blues, almost-country roots on this song are very different. Just when you think you have him pegged he breaks out “Everything Unwinds” which has a much more soft, haunting vibe. It’s hard to believe it is the same guy; it sounds very different.

Beal has me really excited about his forthcoming project and I am really looking forward to hearing what kind of risks and takes with his experimental sound. I am kicking myself for forgetting about him, but it seems like, with Nobody Knows dropping next month (September 10th) I rediscovered him at the right time; I love when that happens and you don’t have to wait long for new music. Oh yeah, Beal, also has an interesting, self-made animated short that is definitely worth a few minutes of your time.

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