Review: Indie artist Scott Whiddon’s album ‘The Best Intentions’

By Michael Alahverdian, Rock At Night New England

Review: Scott Whiddon’s- The Best Of Intentions – November 3, 2023

As the old saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and everyone has a favorite artist/genre. As a lover of hard-rock music, I can still listen to other genres and styles of music and enjoy them just as much. Be it Led Zeppelin, Earth, Wind & Fire, or Johnny Cash, I find all of them to my liking, and depending on my mood, I listen to them depending on my emotional state. Somedays, I want to rock, while other days, I want to listen to deep and meaningful lyrics at a slower pace.

As I listen to the latest release from Scott Whiddon, I appreciate the various songwriters who put so much of themselves and their personal beliefs, feelings, and experiences into their songs. Mr. Whiddon’s latest release, The Best of Intentions, is an album to relax, close your eyes, sit back, and listen to what he is singing about.

Whiddon’s melancholy songs consist of lyrics that invite the listener into a world of introspection and emotion. While the overall tone of Scott Whiddon’s music may be sad, there’s beauty in how he navigates these emotional landscapes. It’s not just about sadness; it’s about finding solace and understanding within the melancholy.

“Maybe That’s Enough For Now” allows the listener to contemplate their day, or perhaps even their life, and think to themselves that everything is going to be alright. Whiddon’s ability to articulate universal emotions in a deeply personal way is a testament to his songwriting prowess. This ten-song album has some fine songs, including my favorite, “Our Mutual Friends.” There is such excellent musicianship from every member of the band. Another highlight on this delightful album is ‘All I’ve Done Wrong,’ a Jakob Dylan & Wallflowers-sounding tune I enjoyed. “House Lights” is a catchy song that you will soon be singing along with.

With contributions from Scott Whiddon, J. Tom Hnatow, Dave Cobb, Robby Cosenza, Blake Cox, Jay Gonzalez, Kim Conlee, Chris Dennison, John Ferguson, John Hnatow, Jessie Hnatow, and produced/engineered/mixed wonderfully by J. Tom Hnatow/Small Blue and mastered by Jason Perkins/Mystery Room, this album will stir up some emotions when alone, or be a perfect background accompaniment when spending time with some special friends.

Scott Whiddon is a writer, teacher, and musician living in Lexington, KY.