Venice Beach troubadour Joe Con seamlessly blends folk, pop, and hip hop with a deft touch for melodic poetry. His newest EP, “I Choose You” shows a more tender side of Con’s versatile and prolific catalogue.
There is little left unsaid on the EP’s first single “Said and Done” which finds Con in a reflective mood, crooning over a snappy beat laced with acoustic guitar and harmonica. Couplet after couplet, the laid-back songwriter details the romantic highs and lows of diehard love while managing to fit the entire history of the relationship into the soothing four-minute single. It is a well-executed lullaby of a song which is aided by a bouncy chord progression, sweeping strings, and Con’s honey coated Kentucky drawl.
“I Choose You” is an assured work that buzzes with catchy grooves and broad pop sensibilities. A combination that is sure to please various walks of life from hip hop heads to folkies. Joe’s aesthetic, which has often included searing blues and braggadocio rhyme slinging, has become more and more aimed toward Top 40—with an unabashed flair for pop hooks. A sugary tablespoon of beach rock with clever arrangements and cool delivery.
