A seasonal song from singer/songwriter Jo Ash, with her piano augmented by gentle acoustic guitar from musical collaborator Mike Wheatley.
As always with Jo’s tracks it is all about creation of an evocative atmosphere, as the melodic subtleties in the verses lead to a resolving bold chorus. There is also a wistful dreaminess of the lyrics ‘…..on this frosty eve the white’s so pure. Take me somewhere I’ve never been before. Amber fire, glowing stars lighting up the midnight sky….’.
As in many of the best Christmas songs the allusions to the long winter nights of glorious clear skies, snow and otherworldly cold are what timelessly resonate with the listener…
New single ‘Nothing To Say’ from keyboardist/singer Jo Ash may seem unseasonal with the opening lines ‘……cold wind bites, you’re outside with no sense of time…direction’s changed, but winter stays the same….’ but of course it is a metaphor for the emotional detachment and melancholy that is the core of the song.
The gentle piano theme of the introduction heralds a gorgeous waltz-time ballad, strong on melody and atmosphere. The instrumentation becomes denser for the musical uplift of the chorus ‘…wish for a storm when the skies are so clear…and there’s nothing to stand in your way….’. This new single is enhanced by a video with Jo walking through the signature surroundings (‘…sky so vast….’) around her East Anglian home.
It is a subtle yet potent track, in many ways the distilled musical essence of this talented performer.
The new single from composer/performer Jo Ash is a delicate and sombre poem, set to a minimal piano backing. Opening lines ‘….I’m listening to you but your words melt into the road like tar…the harsh air whips my face, I almost feel the cuts it makes….’ set the tone and quietly build atmosphere, as the imagery of nature and time weave through the lyric.
The air of uncertainty resolves into a chorus ‘…..everything moves, and still I walk, and sometimes it stops…then it rises up and I’m asking why it feels like it matters more than it does….’ but the song never departs from the ethereal beauty created by Jo’s vocal and measured keyboard figures. There is a gentle intrusion from haunting synthesiser strings as overall this sparse musical gem hits all the right emotional notes.
The engaging new single from composer/musician Jo Ash muses on the ups and downs of fame, channelling the persona of a lone singer in the spotlight; with her rich vocal telling the story over a lush keyboard and percussive backing. The strong chorus cuts through as the emotional core of the track, ‘….What did she feel when they cried out for more…what did they do when she fell to the floor….and now they’re all gone…could she ever be lonely….’, the catchiness of the music hiding the darker tones within the lyrics.
This thoughtful song is accompanied by a video featuring Jo in multiple studio roles of performance and production as well as a cameo appearance on the wall from the cracked actor himself David Bowie, perhaps the ultimate musical idol?
A new single from Cambridge blues-rockers R.J. Archer & The Painful Memories, a follow up to their March release ‘I Can’t Lose You’ with both tracks featuring on the LP ‘Horseplay!‘ due in September this year. The earlier release was a taut, spiky blues shuffle, with the angst in the vocal working towards the strong hook of the title line.
This new companion piece ‘Lay It Low’ is mellower in pace and tone, with some neat harmonies in the vocals and the winning sound of a double lead guitar break. It is infused with the spirit of classic 70s country rock, at times melancholic and wistful but always musically interesting; effortlessly switching sections between verses, chorus and an unpredictable middle eight and showing how this band continues to progress and grow in confidence.
A new track from emzae; composed, performed and produced by the Derby based musician. It will be the central track on her forthcoming album ‘All Those Things I Thought I Knew’, due on 1st September this year. ‘I Guess, Anyway’ is the follow-up to the concise funky blast of ‘Extraordinary’, also to feature on the album.
In contrast to the casual tone of the title it is a sweeping, epic track encompassing many of the themes of her strong run of previous singles, both lyrically and musically. With a soothing introduction establishing the gentle waltz pace the phrases drift in and out ‘….if the sky still is the limit it seems like its falling for me….’ leading into ‘…..if only I’d taken a moment to capture the confidence I had before…’. There are four musical sections to investigate the themes of introspection and reflection, culminating in a big thoughtful chorus ‘…here I am at least twice my age at the same time I swear I’m too young, for the next stage….’.
Just when you think the song is ending in atmospheric contemplation big bold washes of sound create a guitar sounding solo to herald the strong finale; a cascade of dense electronic immersion for a passionate declaration of powerful words; ‘…..the knowing nothing years….desperate for loving years…..wishing for golden years…..hate getting older years……it’s all been played out before….’
I have followed emzae’s music for a while (see other reviews on this site) and with this track her gift for melody has combined with one of her best ever vocal performance to produce a brilliant result.
A new single from Cambridge ensemble Tape Runs Out is a dreamy tribute to the bearded dragon belonging to lead singer Liam.
Starting with a hypnotic figure generated by the haunting sonics of the hammered dulcimer the track adds layers of acoustic texture to produce a stately paean to the precious pet ‘….Barry you know we’re here for you….Barry won’t you stay with us…’.
The song gently eases along but continues to build the boldness of the sound with strings, a guitar solo and overall a feeling of melancholy and lost prog-folk drifting off into the ether. Watching the video it doesn’t seem like the languid lizard is going to wander too far away anyway, but this track acts as a splendid showcase for the instrumental possibilities and otherworldly viewpoint of future recordings from this unique group of musicians.
A gorgeous new single from Katy Hurt; a country waltz full of wistful regret that is another example of her strong songwriting talent.
Starting with a gentle free-form guitar introduction the band ease into the mix with a shuffling, easy rhythm that creates instant atmosphere. Instrumentally this is judged perfectly but the glorious vocal performance from Katy is the show-stopper. As the feelings and tension are only just restrained the listener is pulled into her world of possible heartbreak, ‘…..I’m searching for the rhyme or reason for what’s going on…we’re supposed to be closer than ever before….but somehow we’re further away…’.
It is a track that is at the opposite end of the spectrum to many of Katy’s previous rockier releases such as the pop energy of ‘See Ya Later’ and the road trip narration of ‘Revved Up’. The new track ‘Face to Face’ has parallels with the pensive poetry of her excellent 2019 ballad ‘Unfinished Business’, ‘….there’s a book on a nightstand I’m ten pages in and the spine has already been broken….’, a song full of raw emotional imagery resolving into the melodic grace of the chorus.
Another teaser for the September release of the fourth Public Service Broadcasting LP ‘Bright Magic’, this time featuring the simultaneously rich and icy vocals of Berlin-based performer and lyric co-writer Andreya Casablanca. She steers the song from a low-key start, bristling with musical tension before the band gradually add layers to the sound. Then the explosive guitar flourishes enrich the dense production of repeating bass notes and the full-on drum sound that we know and love. The chorus line ‘….I, in my blue heaven….’ takes on a haunting, disconnected feeling as it reappears through the track and Andreya’s vocal delivery is rewardingly unpredictable and intriguing.
This is a road movie of a song, carrying all before it as it travels to a resolution somewhere in the high ether. Growing in power with every listen, hopefully this will be part of the live set when the band tours later this year…
A new single from singer/songwriter Jen Dixon, following on from the evocative ‘Which Way Is Down?’ from earlier this year. That was a wistful ballad; full of restrained intensity in the vocal, complemented by the haunting echoes of the production. The catchy chorus and spoken word break all added to the winning effect.
Now ‘Save Me’ further explores some darker thoughts and stretches more emotional heartstrings, along with showing her gift for composing a strong melody line and delivering it with conviction. As the chords descend the bleak picture is painted, ‘…standing on a knife edge….waiting to fall….’, but there are also threads of optimism in the repeated lines ‘….I want to know will you catch me if I fall…I want to know will you notice if I’ve gone…will you save me?….’. Jen’s recordings are self-produced; here the subtly crafted musical arrangement gently frames this fine song.
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