Author and musician Bill See just released his first album in over a decade – Bow To No One. And if you like alternative-folk music, this is definitely something you need to listen to. This album is essentially a guide for surviving today’s version of America. This album came at a much needed time, and I encourage all of you to give it a listen.

One of my favorite tracks on this album has to be “Rock and Roll Salvation“. This song is a love letter to the early days of Rock and Roll. Naming artists like Pete Townsend (The Who) and Bob Dylan. Bill credits rock and roll saved his life, and made him who he is. This is certainly something that I can relate to (albeit with different influences on my part). The healing power of Rock and Roll is a very real thing, and I’m glad to see that people are still writing songs about it.

This whole project is about salvation and healing in a way. Whether that’s the message about music being inescapable, and needing it to function, or about learning how to function again after giving too much of yourself to other people in your life, there is a message for everyone here. Even the anger in the song “Tell Me The Mystery” is relatable. We all have things in our lives that we wish didn’t happen, or that we would have prevented if given the chance. Another powerful message here is the American Dream, and what is means, or at least what it has come to mean today.

If you want to listen to a love letter to music, this is the record for you. I’m sure after a five plus year hiatus, we would all wax poetically, basically apologizing for abandoning something that we love. As a musician myself, I couldn’t imagine giving it up for that long. I’m glad he made his way back into music, because the music business is definitely better with him in it.

Instrumentally, “Bow to No One” is super interesting. It is definitely a folk album, with acoustic guitar that you want to strum along to, but it has a real rock-like edge to it. You can definitely hear the influence of Roger Daltrey and the rest of The Who on this record. The vocals here are also really unique, sounding like they came straight out of the 80s or early 90s. The sound of Bill See’s voice will draw you in, and his lyrics will keep you absolutely captivated. The 39 minutes that you’ll spend listening to this album will pass in a flash, and you’ll definitely find yourself coming back for more.

Overall, I applaud Bill See’s return to music. “Bow to No One” is full of messages that can help people struggling today, or people who feel like they’ve lost something they love. This project has a level of uniqueness and self awareness that I truly enjoy. I hope that this is the start of a glorious return, and I can’t wait to see what Bill does next.

Stream the album on Spotify. Or, even better, buy a CD or Vinyl to really show your support via Bandcamp.