Album Feature – Charles Wesley Godwin – Seneca

By Joshua Wallace

This does not feel like a debut record.  Charles Wesley Godwin’s Seneca is very deep and well thought out both in the lyrics and the music.  It’s a songwriter’s album, but at the same time the music is very layered. This album is a love letter to Godwin’s home state of West Virginia and the Appalachian region as a whole.  Let’s take a dive into some of these tracks.

The album kicks off with “(Windmill) Keep On Turning”.  This track tells a tale of the hard times and hard living in the the West Virginia countryside.  The track carries a nice beat and I love the harmonica work throughout. Another favorite track is “Hardwood Floors”.  It’s a simple story about two lovers going out on the town and tearing up the hardwood floors. The music is perfect for honky tonk dancing and I can see it playing well with live crowds.

The track “Shrinks & Pills” is about songwriters.  The deep songwriters that pour everything into every song.  They might not make much but they save a lot of shrinks and pills because of the songs they write.  I love the honky tonk piano in this track and the solo is something that has to be heard. “Seneca Creek” is another highlight.  It’s a story about a couple who builds a life by Seneca Creek in West Virginia. The song goes through the highs and lows of living in the region in the mid 20th Century.  It has a bittersweet ending and the story is well crafted. There is an acoustic version of this track that closes out the album in addition to the regular version.

Charles Wesley Godwin is one to keep your eye on.  His songwriting abilities are very impressive on this debut record and his singing sounds effortless.  I can’t wait to see him live at some point, hopefully in the near future. In the meantime, Seneca is currently out everywhere you can find good music.

Favorite Tracks : (Windmill) Keep On Turning, Hardwood Floors, Shinks & Pills, Seneca Creek

Charles Wesley Godwin – Seneca

1. (Windmill) Keep On Turning
2. Coal Country
3. Hardwood Floors
4. Seneca Creek
5. Strawberry Queen
6. Shrinks & Pills
7. The Last Bite
8. Sorry For The Wait
9. Half A Heart
10. Pour It On
11. Here In Eden
12. Seneca Creek (Acoustic Version)