REVIEW: DawgGoneDavis — Boulders Weeping (Cry No More) (SINGLE)
Despite being a rapper, Rebecca “DawgGoneDavis” shares more in common with Bob Dylan than say, 50 Cent with her single “Boulders Weeping (Cry No More). A difficult and provocative track that will linger with for days to come, Davis doesn’t shy away from topics that might make even the most mainstream artist squirm and handles it with a level of maturity even some other artists stumble on. The song has the thumping bass of a rap song, especially with modern acts dipping more into rock sampling as of love, something that besides the subject matter helps the song remain aesthetically modern and appealing to modern listening sensibilities, but it has a strong sense of escalation with a hard-hitting guitar and the pointed icy tongue in which Davis spits her words.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Dawggonedavis/
The whole track feels like a labor of love in a way that’s not ham-handed, and Davis is smarter than to veer out of her viewpoint. She doesn’t try to take on the pain of victims but isn’t as passive as to not be so upfront with what her critical views are. It’s protest pop, so any person I can say will have a take it or leave it attitude. I say to even those potentially aversive to it, take the plunge. Davis is wildly talented, with her lyrics being one of her best abilities, even if sometimes her vocal delivery can leave a little to be desired, but that’s where the reliance of her companion and featured guest Dorian Paul comes in.
His additions to the chorus where he sings “Let’s implement derision, I’ve seen on television” followed up by Davis’ passionate “There’s no denying, the rock on my shoulder’s crying, the boulder on our shoulder’s weeping”, and even that subtle escalation of crying to weeping is evocative of the emotional core of the song. It will only get worse and the pain will feel even more palpable if we don’t do anything. Davis’ doesn’t have the answers and she eschews the typical “We need to hold the government accountable” espousing, I think because if it were that easy, we would have dealt with this a long time ago.
APLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/boulders-weeping-cry-no-more-feat-dorial-paul-single/1569874813
She’s jaded but passionate about shining light on this important issue, and that more than makes up for any of the song’s flaws, of which there are few. Davis is a relative newcomer, but even despite that she’s had tracks spanning across Europe, Asia, the US, and South America, and I think that’s boosted by her talents as a writer to capture a universal truth within her work. Davis says that “Admitting that tragedy on top of tragedy is sometimes too much and I do break down and cry”, and while that might not sound revelatory given the last year, it’s the way she easily transfers that pain into her music without fetishizing it, or even worse making it about herself. Despite a short back catalog, I’m already a quick fan of Davis and her prowess as an artist and if you’re smart, so will you.
Colin Jordan
