Chris Crofton: I’m Your Man [Album Review]

Chris Crofton
I’m Your Man
yk Records/Arrowhawk Records [2025]

“A songwriter who turns raw honesty into timeless anthems-Chris Crofton is truly your man.”

Album Overview: Chris Crofton is a comedian, author, actor, podcast host, and—most importantly for our purposes—singer-songwriter based in Nashville, TN. Written and recorded on the heels of his excellent 2018 Arrowhawk Records debut Hello, It’s Me, his latest album I’m Your Man retains that album’s sparkling, indie rock and folk sound while upping the ante on the songwriting. The result is a personal album that has universal appeal, one that is both timely and timeless in equal measure.

Musical Style: Each song is anchored by Crofton’s voice and acoustic guitar, to which producer Kevin Ratterman (drums) adds layers of electric guitar (Dave Dawson), pedal steel (Alex McMahon), keys (Bo Koster), and other elements as needed. It’s lush without being saccharine, and Dawson’s guitar adds muscle to some of the more intense moments. There’s even a guitar cameo from My Morning Jacket’s Jim James on “Side Effects.” 

Evolution of Sound: Crofton has come a long way from his days fronting The Alcohol Stuntband in the early 2000s. Part of that development is no doubt the result of his subsequent sobriety, but he’s also clearly an artist who has worked hard to hone his skills. His songs are indebted to the songwriters he grew up listening to, but he uses them as inspiration rather than a model. 

Artists with Similar Fire: The title of I’m Your Man is an obvious nod to Leonard Cohen, whose influence can be felt alongside other tunesmiths and troubadours such as Jonathan Richman, Loudon Wainwright III, and John Denver (who also gets some explicit acknowledgment on the album’s closing track). 

Pivotal Tracks: “Vitamin D,” the album’s first single, is a poignant reflection on the burden of depression, while the strident “Side Effects” tackles the other side of that same coin. But don’t get the idea that the album is a total downer—tracks like the buoyant “Dreaming of You” and “Never Enough” are love songs that bring the mood up with their upbeat arrangements. The title track is another highlight, with a great build-up and harmony vocals from Jenny O. The album’s final three tracks are some of its best: “Inside A Song” is a gorgeous celebration of the power of music, while “Hold Back The Years” is one of the record’s hardest-rocking tracks, with rapid-fire lyrics and chugging electric guitar. “John Denver” brings things to a close with a tribute to one of Crofton’s favorite songwriters, borrowing Denver’s nature imagery to create a gentle, touching homage. 

Lyrical Strength: Crofton’s lyrics are deeply personal while also reaching out to the listener, inviting them to connect with the feelings behind the words. But there are also some truly memorable turns of phrase, like the depiction of depression in “Vitamin D” (“Sunshine can’t penetrate my brain / it’s just a picture in a frame / … / And sunshine won’t take away the pain / It just decorates the rain”) and the central metaphor of “Inside A Song” (“I’d like to live inside a song…”). 

Final Groove: I’m Your Man wears its authenticity on its sleeve, and it’s all the better for it. Chris Crofton’s songs have a timeless quality, but they also often feel like the kind of songs we need more of in our increasingly isolated, artificial world. If you need a reminder of how a song can punch you in the gut, lift your spirits, and often do both at the same time, Chris Crofton is your man.

CHRIS CROFTON LINKS
Official Website | Instagram | Bandcamp | yk Records | Arrowhawk Records