Kris Orlowski Band

You may not know Kris Orlowski — yet — but that’s ok. Sometimes things take time to grow, and he’s already turning some influential heads.

You see, Orlowski has an uncanny knack for ending up in the right place at the right time — not to mention an uncanny flair for crafting emotionally rich songs that will have you tapping your toes even as your heartstrings are being tugged. He recently wowed a marquee-level peer over a campfire. It’s easy to see why — unless you’ve had your heart surgically removed, these are songs that will move you.

Conjuring the spirit of Everyman may not be glamorous, but it’s also not easy. Orlowski writes from a real, unguarded place and that accessibility is tangible. There are no walls here — only a palpable honesty and really, really good songwriting.

Ever had your heart broken? Ever felt like love was the only sensible means of escape? Ever felt paralyzed in the wake of wild emotions? Then you’ll relate to “Happiness Is Waiting.”

The Sufi poet Hafiz has this to say:

Greatness
Is always built upon this foundation:
The ability
To appear, speak and act
As the most
Common
Man

Orlowski and his bandmates get that. “Happiness Is Waiting” is a testament to our shared emotion and confusion.

It’s also a damn fine album, filled with radio-friendly tunes and bare, unrestrained insight and emotion. Orlowski’s songs are strong enough to have resonance in the most stripped down of settings, but drummer Tim Rummerfield and bassist Scott Schrock Jr. provide a colorful backdrop for Orlowski’s songwriting to truly blossom in arrangement and depth.

So curl up and settle in. Pour yourself a cup of tea or a big glass of vino. Let this record soak into your subconscious. As Orlowksi so eloquently puts it,” When hope is in your heart, then you’ll be great.”

Sometimes greatness is subtle. As Orlowski seems to intuitively grasp, sometimes it reveals itself most brilliantly through its simplicity. - BARBARA MITCHELL