Quinn Cicala – ‘Dream I Had’ (Review)

Quinn Cicala is a folk musician from Myrtle Beach who recently released his debut album, Dream I Had. Previously Quinn had released a number of demos, but this is his first official release, recorded with Matt Tuton of Right or Wrong Recordings. Quinn does all the singing and writes the songs, but he has a gang of friends who also contributed instrumentation to the project, and the cover art was done by Caitey Ronan.

What stands out to me the most about Quinn Cicala’s Dream I Had is the songwriting. Quinn tells stories about things he does and sees, and the way these things relate to his feelings and desires. He presents his life stories in a very matter-of-fact way so that you know exactly what he’s talking about, and his voice gets you listening along because you don’t want to miss a word. Before you know it you’ll have listened to the whole album, so you’ll just mash repeat so you can hear him sing it again.

Perhaps my favorite song on Dream I Had is “Home 2”, in which Quinn sings about a past lover whom things clearly did not end well with, but some sentiments are still harbored. This comes to light when she comes to gather some of her things from his house. It’s a song about knowing a relationship has gone sour but not being able to fully let go of it, especially when you have to see the person. In “Home 2” we see Quinn at the point of trying to focus on his goals instead of dwelling on a painful part of his past. It’s very well-written and tells a compelling story about a rut that many of us have been stuck inside. Maybe this song will help you climb out.

Overall Quinn Cicala’s Dream I Had is a solid album with strong lyrics and a kind of stripped-down The Front Bottoms vibe with lyrics in the same realm as Connor Oberst of Bright Eyes. If you’re in the mood to catch the feels then this record will suit you perfectly, and you’ll nod along in agreement with Quinn’s cleverly strung together bits of wisdom he’s picked up over the years. After a few spins you’ll probably even want to sing along. I say do it. Stream Dream I Had by Quinn Cicala via Spotify below. Enjoy.