“Clinton Belcher – Save Me From Myself: A One-Man Reckoning Carved in Oklahoma Dust”
While the latest single from Clinton Belcher, "Save Me From Myself," doesn't have a very distinct lyrical quality to it, you can certainly feel the weight of the song before actually hearing any of the lyrics. The way this song strikes you is very much like having someone come up to you and quietly confess something in a public place where there are a lot of people—it's that intimate and quietly honest feeling, which makes it hard to ignore.
When you first listen to the song, it almost sounds like an old mirror shattering, as Clinton's voice is extremely raw and unpolished, and has a very distinct gospel feel. You can hear that same "longing" sound that Jason Crabb has perfected, but with a lot more grit and determination that comes from the journey of survival through all of life's challenges. There also seems to be a lot of influence from Blake Shelton's way of telling stories, as well as Reba's ability to be precise with every syllable and word. There is also some of the "outlaw" influence of both Chris Stapleton and Eric Church. However, regardless of who or what has influenced Clinton Belcher's music, his sound is always distinctly his own, which he describes as "Grit & Guitars"—no polish, no staff, no middlemen. He is a one-man creative force in a small room in Oklahoma, turning the scars of life into six strings.
He tells his story in a way that feels heroic. Rather than a glorious hero, he is a hero of survival. The internal battle he fights is told through emotional micro-beats — bittersweet pauses, bursts of emotion, the awkward moments of uncertainty associated with telling the truth. He reveals how he has been able to keep a smile upon his face while allowing that same smile to hide his inner turmoil. He reveals that he has been a stranger to himself. The song is a plea — softly at first and then in a powerful voice — “Someone please help me, or I will be gone for good!”
The track is special not only because Clinton's vulnerability is an important aspect of it. What separates it from other tracks is how it was recorded: he was the sole voice, sole mind, and sole studio producer of the song. He wrote it, played it, produced it, mixed it, and mastered it. Every ounce of noise and emotional debris was captured and delivered to the listener as he experienced it in real time and was not affected by any outside influence. This means the track is both arena-ready and personal: it is grand enough to fill an arena while at the same time delicate enough to be held by a single person.
In Save Me From Myself, Clinton Belcher is not asking for sympathy for himself; instead, he demands absolute honesty. By doing so, he offers us all with one of the strongest, most moving country-rock confessions heard this year.