Tyrone Wells

Tyrone Wells can be easily marked as a singer/songwriter that allows listeners to distinguish the difference between a musician's natural evolution versus a forced one. That is particularly the case on his second major label release, Remain, which showcases a set of tracks that provide a richer, more upbeat combination between his voice, the keys and strings.

As the son of a preacher, Wells was only allowed to listen to gospel music growing up. And while that soulful, emotional influence has always been present in Wells' prior releases, Remain displays the gradual transition into an identifiable category of piano pop-rock reminiscent of the catchy, melodic arrangements in Jack's Mannequin's debut Everything In Transit.

But it is the Washington native's uplifting lyrics and passionate vocals that ultimately win the heart and mind. "More" is simply that—an inspirational track where Wells calls out for something larger than life, as he sings: "I see it in the stars / I feel it on the shore / I know there's something more." Another memorable track, "Sink or Swim" is a metaphorical outlook on life's struggles where Wells' stellar wordplay shines most. Among the most comforting tracks is "Enough," which balances the singer's stronger and softer ranges with a steady flow of light (acoustic guitar) and heavy (drums) instruments.

It is without a doubt that Remain gives a heavy nod to Wells' deep-rooted background, but make no mistake—the album demonstrates a steady and consistent maturity that cleanly surpasses all of his past efforts, providing an optimistic outlook for the soulful singer overall.

—Gabrielle Chua
02.16.09

It's fair to call Tyrone Wells' Remain his first real shot at the big leagues; it may not be his first album to appear on a major label, but it's the first to be crafted as such, and it shows. Remain is big intimate music: the songs are small-scale but the music is large, epic, and chilly in the best tradition of Coldplay and Jeff Buckley. This doesn't cause a disconnect on Remain, largely because the album works better as waves of sonic texture, something to wash over a listener. That's not quite Wells' intention, as his sincerity makes clear. Wells opens his heart so fully that he almost defies listeners not to delve deeply into his emotions, despite the album's rather incongruous cascading sound. Yet Wells' songs are elliptical, not melodic, and built on words, not hooks, so they lend themselves to this kind of cleanly majestic production, one that gives the music a sense of progression, perhaps even drama, that it otherwise lacks. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi