Derby Hill is a Detroit artist who knows what it’s like to live in a normal, hard-working community. It’s like sitting on the front porch and listening to stories about the most important things in life when you listen to his music. He writes about family, the people we care about, the things we lose, and how we strive to fix things. He always finds a way to display the shine and beauty that are concealed in hard times, even when they feel heavy or unclean like grit.
This new album with five songs is a very personal compilation of stories about the good and bad things that happen in everyday life. Derby Hill didn’t go to a beautiful, costly studio to compose this music. Instead, he recorded it in little closets and basements in Chicago. This makes the songs feel incredibly real and honest. He really cares about what he says, and he wants his audience to feel that they are going on a deep trip with him to find out how we actually feel.

Derby Hill
“Restless and Forgiven,” the first song on the album, sets the tone for the rest of the songs. This song talks about a common human feeling: the choice to stay or leave. It employs the sounds of a piano and a guitar to do this. It teaches us that it’s alright to be a little lost or upset because there is always a way to get over it and move on. It is a daring beginning that tells us that even modest things can be brave.
Next, we hear “Red Honey Wine,” a tune that makes us feel warm and fuzzy. It doesn’t follow the usual pattern of a fast love song. Instead, it talks about how love takes a lot of time. The song uses the premise that wine gets better and sweeter as it sits to teach us that the best sort of love is the kind that lasts through tough times. It reminds us how important it is to have someone at your side while you’re having a hard time.
“Come Back Home,” a song that is very calming and steady, appears in the middle of the album. This part of the record is about the sense of not knowing where you fit in. It says that “home” doesn’t have to be a house or a city on a map; it may also be a feeling of being at peace with your past and where you come from. Anyone who has ever felt like they are just moving from one place to another will find this song quite soothing.

Derby Hill
The melody in the song “Anything’s Possible Here” is quite bright and uplifting. This song is a beautiful duet about how powerful the human heart can be when we have someone else to lean on. It makes us feel less alone and less sure of ourselves. The essential point of this is that we can still have great and wonderful things happen, even on a boring or hard day, provided we keep our hearts open.
“In a Matter of Moments,” the last song on the album, is a very peaceful and introspective song. The song has a lot of space, which lets the listener truly think. This song is about how fast time goes by and how we may perceive things clearly in just a second of silence. It doesn’t seem like a noisy end; it sounds more like a calm moment of insight that sticks with you long after the music ends.
Derby Hill has made something that feels extremely real and honest in the end. He doesn’t use fancy tactics or artificial noises to mask the reality about the agony and joy of life. His album makes individuals feel less alone by combining the styles of legendary songwriters with his own modern view. For an artist who really cares about the craft of narrative, this is a terrific first step.
For more, follow Derby Hill on Spotify
