B2TW | John Paul White & Wildo DM | Big Love

John Cronin
Oct 24, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Dec 18, 2023

Intro

Lydia Reed has been sending me daily artists that I have been wanting to comment on. I never imagined that I would have the chance to comment on the works of an artist I listened to during my High School years. After receiving an email about John Paul White's newest single from LPR Agency, I knew I had to take advantage of this excellent opportunity.

I listened to The Civil Wars, John Paul White's excellent project with Joy Williams that jump started both of their careers, virtually every day during my high school and college years.

This article is the culmination of what I have wanted to say about John's work as a whole for many years. I sincerely hope that anyone who reads this enjoys it.

Especially John and/or maybe even Joy.

Who Is John Paul White?

John Paul White was the co-founder of The Civil Wars along with Joy Williams, together they captured audiences around the world with their raw sound that was infused with indie folk.

White went on to have a successful solo career by releasing albums like Beulah and The Hurting Kind after the duo's hiatus.
His solo career highlighted his rich and emotional vocals and songwriting, which helped him garner a very devoted fan base, a fan base that I am proud to be a part of.

Success

John Paul has achieved significant success in both his solo and The Civil Wars careers.

Joy and John's time with The Civil Wars saw them release two acclaimed studio albums, including their chart-topping self-titled album, and win four Grammy Awards.
The two joined Taylor Swift on her single, Safe & Sound. This single was a re-recording of their song originally featured in The Hunger Games.
The list of successes goes on and on, but the fact is that John is a mastermind. And he's just getting started.

What was your favorite The Civil Wars song?

0%Poison & Wine
0%Barton Hollow
0%I've Got This Friend
0%Dust to Dust

Big Love by John Paul White & Wildo DM

John Paul White used folk, country, and a bit of Americana influences to cover Fleetwood Mac's Big Love track, which originally served as the lead single for their Tango in the Night album (where it peaked at #5 in the US and #9 in the UK).

Wildo DM, an addition to John's long list of successful collaborations, helped with the production of Big Love.
The track also embraces elements of indie/rock and folk, creating a compelling fusion promising to captivate audiences once again.

John Paul says: “I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting a song I’ve loved for ages. It was especially rewarding getting to work with old friends. Very thankful I was asked to be a part of this.”

Feedback

For some reason, John's voice reminds me of Matt Bellamy (vocalist for Muse.) The soft voice grips you with intrigue, which peaks when it rises. When it rises, it pulls you in in a way you don't realize until the song is over. This is why I always loved listening to him.

His work with The Civil Wars is something to behold, a masterpiece I will never forget that reminds me of the innocence of being young. To answer the question above, the one song that has always stuck out to me is I've Got This Friend. It's such a different song that they would make, and that's why it's probably my favorite apart from its catchy lyrics.
His solo work is similar, but yet so much more than just music. It's almost like he took every small detail that wasn't The Civil Wars and made it his own. The production is a modern masterpiece, there are more collaborations with other musicians, and I could go on and on. But at the end of the day, it's almost as if he knows that nothing can top The Civil Wars. So, he made his own path.
His Big Love single is an absolutely riveting track that I am definitely going to add to my collection. It is a great addition to the JPW collection, but I just wish it had a little more. It would be great if the song was longer and had more substance. I find the lyrics to be too one-sided, and I wish there was more of a plot to the song overall. Although it may seem like I hate the song, it's actually not the case. I just wish there was more to it as a whole.