On
his debut single Oxygen, David Franj thoughtfully
provides two versions of “Oxygen”, perhaps unknowingly
evoking a sense of tension through the single. They
do reveal that, as a singer-songwriter, Franj can
certainly write strong songs. “Oxygen” is a ballad
combining the guitar sound of Coldplay’s “Yellow”
with the emotional climax of Radiohead in their
“Fake Plastic Trees” era. The melody is quite delicate
and haunting, the latter quality drawn out by the
use of shimmering guitar lines. Franj’s vocals are
strong (notably in his use of falsetto), but he
feels an unnecessary compulsion to emote through
breathiness, weakening the sound.
This
single is interesting in the tension shown between
the two versions of “Oxygen”, one of which is an
acoustic mix. The main version is complete with
a pounding drum beat and distorted guitars, manipulating
the listener’s emotions, but perhaps too easily
and obviously. The acoustic version is starker (accentuating
the beauty of the melody) and is equally affecting
in a more subtle manner. Franj literally has nowhere
to hide, but he doesn’t need to hide.
David
Franj has started strongly with Oxygen, but
it must be hoped that he doesn’t shroud his talent
behind layers of production. Franj can do FM radio
power ballads, but he shows that he can do much
more.
Track Listing:
1. Oxygen
2. Get Lost
3. Oxygen (Acoustic)
Reviewed by Michael Tran.
