The Davenports, are back with a much-anticipated fifth studio album. "You Could've Just Said That." Released through NYC-bred, LA-based indie label Mother West, this self-produced gem is an, at times, introspective journey that seamlessly fuses Klass' trademark wit, razor-sharp lyricism, catchy earworm melodies, and with the pandemic serving as an almost immediate backdrop, a collection of songs that somehow manage to be both as profoundly personal as they are universally resonant.
With a daguerreotype career extending well over a quarter century, Klass has made a niche for himself in the indie pop spectrum, and this new one finds him franking it like never, and most, before. Recorded entirely in his home, "You Could've Just Said That" embodies a raw, immediate sound that feels like a way directly into Klass' thoughts and emotions. The album's title addresses a theme: the human capacity for obliqueness when we'd be better off saying what we mean, honestly more directly.
Klass is still a master of the melody, tapping into a timeless pop sensibility culled from The Beatles, Jackson Browne, and Crowded House. Songs such as "Five Steps," now widely known as the theme song to A&E's Intervention, demonstrate the singer's near-supernatural gift for pairing devastating narratives with irresistibly earworm hooks. Standout tracks like "I Am Lying" and "We Know We Want To" showcase Klass' talent for fusing clever intertwining lyricism and emotionally resonant lyricism with lush harmonies and elaborate arrangements.
Ten tracks in 32-plus minutes, "You Could've Just Said." That is a well-spoken and direct statement from an artist who evolves without straying. "You Could've Just Said That" is a testament to the beauty of DIY arbitrary creativity, emotional honesty, and the enduring power of a great pop song.