B-Side Guys

Behind every debut album lies a collection of moments, waiting for their time to be heard. Birmingham singer-songwriter Josh Holtzclaw’s “Safe in Sound,” releasing November 21, 2024, arrives as a carefully curated selection of songs that transforms personal reflection into universal truth.

“Dreams” opens the collection with quiet confidence, setting the tone for an album that values authenticity over artifice. Holtzclaw’s voice carries both warmth and slight hesitation, the kind that comes from sharing something deeply personal with the world for the first time.

“Lovely Mess” follows, offering a clear-eyed look at human imperfection. When Holtzclaw sings “We’re all under the same sun / And we’re all flawed at best,” it feels less like criticism and more like acceptance. The production maintains an intimate feel while allowing the song’s message of grace to shine through.

The album’s title track emerges as an early standout, with Holtzclaw exploring the therapeutic power of music itself. Lines like “Lost in the blurred accomplishment / It feels like I’m losing even when I win” showcase his ability to capture complex emotions in simple phrases. The arrangement supports rather than overwhelms his words, creating space for listeners to find their own meaning.

“Birmingham” pays homage to Holtzclaw’s hometown without falling into easy nostalgia. The song demonstrates his gift for finding universal themes in specific places, making local stories resonate beyond geographic boundaries.

“Undone” and “Hold On” form the album’s emotional core, each exploring different aspects of resilience. Holtzclaw’s songwriting shines here, finding fresh ways to address timeless themes of struggle and perseverance.

“Scars” stands as perhaps the album’s most ambitious moment. The lyrics dive deep into the cyclical nature of healing, with lines like “It’s just a season til we understand why these things happen / And it all comes in waves it’s never gone just slowly fades away.” The metaphor of scarring proves particularly effective, acknowledging both permanent change and eventual healing.

The collection closes with “This Life,” a fitting epilogue that brings together the album’s themes of hope, struggle, and acceptance. It’s a reminder that first albums don’t have to be perfect to be powerful – sometimes honesty is the best production value.

What sets “Safe in Sound” apart is its unvarnished authenticity. While many debut albums strain to impress, Holtzclaw seems more interested in connecting. His lyrics explore well-worn topics like love, loss, and healing, but do so with a freshness that comes from lived experience rather than studied imitation.

The production throughout maintains a careful balance between polish and rawness. Each song feels fully realized without losing the intimate quality that makes singer-songwriter material resonate. It’s clear these songs existed long before they were recorded, but the arrangements serve them well without overwhelming their essential character.

At 28 minutes, “Safe in Sound” is remarkably efficient. There’s no filler here, no sense of padding to reach album length. Each song earns its place through emotional authenticity and careful craft.

For fans of thoughtful, introspective songwriting in the tradition of artists who value truth over tricks, this album is essential listening. Holtzclaw has created something that feels both timely and timeless, personal and universal.

The album’s stated aim – to help listeners “see the hope in everyday life” – might sound ambitious, but Holtzclaw achieves it through understatement rather than grandiose gestures. By sharing his own journey with honesty and craft, he creates space for others to reflect on theirs.

As debuts go, “Safe in Sound” succeeds by knowing exactly what it is and what it isn’t. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel or dazzle with innovation. Instead, it offers something rarer: genuine emotion expressed through careful craft, the sound of someone finding their voice by being true to it.

These eight songs represent not just a collection of music, but a milestone in an artistic journey. For Josh Holtzclaw, “Safe in Sound” marks a beginning rather than a destination. Based on this evidence, it’s a journey worth following.