EP REVIEW: "Same Kind Of Different" by Dean Lewis

   Dean Lewis offers up six largely acoustic-driven tunes on his debut offering, all of which are clearly aimed at wider appeal. The acoustic-pop thing has never really done it for me (read my recent Ed Sheeran review here), mainly because behind the slick production and singable hooks there's a general lack of songwriting to be had. This is where Same Kind Of Different sits a rung above most other similar albums; take the sugar and fairy dust away and there are still six complete songs that could be on a singer-songwriter album, rough and bare. I can appreciate the way these songs have been tailored to be played to a larger audience, but the substance behind the shine is more important to me. The six songs do sound very similar, however, and they do tend to blur together into a singular mass - which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on who you are. For me that was a bit of a concern on second and third listen, but I was generally pleased by Same Kind Of Different on first impressions. There isn't really anything that's going to grab you and drag you in by your collar; it's a very sweet, mellow affair with Lewis, and you'll have to decide to go in for the whole thing otherwise you might find yourself becoming distracted by something else. This is probably my biggest concern with this EP; it does reveal itself as being very tame as it goes on. This is only really a problem listening all the way through; all these songs will make for good playlist material if you're into this kind of sound, and while it's not entirely my cup of tea, the competent songwriting does place it comfortably above most other acoustic-pop acts.

   Favourite Song: Need You Now

   Least Favourite Song: Lose My Mind

   Rating: C