Sean Hopkins got his start in music by playing shows and leaning into the Bohemian Lifestyle. After taking a break from music for around six years, Hopkins came back energized and ended up releasing a full length album entitled Chasing Ghosts in the Dark. Hopkins explains “Chasing Ghosts in the Dark is a collection of songs that I started writing pre-pandemic and then continued through lockdown.” To my ears the music is organic sounding and leans into folk more often than not.
The album starts with a solid song entitled “All I Ever Wanted.” It revolves around strummed guitar chords, a 4/4 beat and a slick bass line. The vocals sounded good and I appreciated the texture and tone of his vocals right off the bat. I also enjoyed the vocal harmonies on the chorus which I thought added a lot to the mix. There’s also a really nice sounding reverb on the lead guitar.
“Light Shades Grey” is up next and this song felt like a certified highlight on the album. It begins with a warm guitar picking and introspective lyrics. The song unfolds beautifully and Pink Floyd definitely came to mind. It’s a song that wraps you in solace like a warm blanket..
Towards the end of the song a bass comes in and there’s a little more activity and energy to the song.
“Winter’s Breath” is intimate with a fairly consistent guitar pattern. Hopkins does a great job creating atmosphere. I was actually ready for a little more energy on the album at this point and that’s what happens with “Like a Whisper.” It’s still an acoustic sounding song but the drums really amp up the energy along with a faster BPM. Hopkins stays within a comfortable range. The vocals are catchy and the song seems to revolve around longing but the music felt quite joyous to me.
“Tears Surround You” is the most intimate and melancholy song yet. This song is very cinematic sounding largely due in part to airy orchestral strings. It’s a very atmospheric song.
I appreciated the use of tremolo on the slightly darker and badass sounding “Never Say Never” which feels very dreamlike.
Hopkins is just getting started. As the album progressed I thought there were a number of highlights including “A Long Farewell” which again gets into Pink Floyd territory. The title track “Chasing Ghosts in the Dark” starts as a minimal performance and blossoms with piano and other instruments. This felt like another highlight to my ears. I also thought “Wish With Me” and the Sufjan Stevens sounding “It’s Alright” were high points.
Hopkins is a seasoned musician and his experience shows itself here. I was impressed with the songwriting and the delivery. This was a great album. Take a listen.