Campbell Waldron is jaded, and rightfully so. After a life filled with addiction, dissatisfaction, personal losses and embarrassments, he’s channeled that into his most recent release “TV Screen.” It’s an uncompromising listen as Waldron slams a society that has turned its back on all the beauty life has to offer as well as those who try to harm others ranging from petty drug dealers to war mongers. Waldron most certainly draws from his own life experiences as a former user and homeless who traded that life after a series of failures and setbacks as he now resides in Norway, one can hope more peacefully.
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Waldon has been a lifelong music fan since the age of 12 and even before then learned piano and African percussion. This eclectic knowledge is backed by a lot of restraint on the track as it’s limited to the standard grunge pairing of guitar, bass and drum. Waldron makes the most of this bread and butter setup, and although the song never really evolves too much sonically beyond a louder finish of the chorus, it’s effective and paired by some vivid imagery stemming from Waldron’s lyrics. Sometimes the track comes across as too safe, which is a little odd considering the rough experiences Waldron has endured, but this may be a deliberate move to present the song as more universal in its discussion of misgivings I assume many will be able to connect and respond to.
The ending of the song is a bit of an anomaly. It comes after a hearty blasting of the instruments as it reprises its chorus, but begins to trail off in a way that sounds almost as though it’s connected to another track. I won’t speculate whether that’s the case or not, but Waldron may want to trim that small tag if there’s a later re-release allowing the ending to really have a stronger impact. I think the song can sometimes veer a little too conventional and its lyrics, while strong, aren’t exactly bringing anything new to the table. I give it props for shirking the typical conventions that come with utilizing a “TV” as a prominent image and instead of only being about how the world is a harsh, Waldron is smart to look at himself and understand he’s the only one that can make a change for his life, and his alone.
It’s a very self-aware track and when Waldron croons that he’s not afraid anymore, you feel it, not only through his smooth and potent vocal delivery but through the song itself which is an almost meta approach. It’s a simple song, but it’s not simplistic and is only aided by additional context into Waldron’s life. There’s a misconception that pain is a needed factor into creating good art, and I think that’s a wrong notion that should be abandoned. Artists gain the most and give the most when they’re allowed to express themselves as they want to, and after so many setbacks you can feel the confidence in Waldron as he takes things into his own hands. Early on he says that he hopes you can see his dreams, and with this track, you can, and it leaves one wanting more.
Garth Thomas
The music of Campbell Waldron has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com