Today’s Song of the Day Challenge theme is “A song you’d sing as a Karaoke duet”, and my pick is “You’re the One That I Want“, which I did in fact sing as a Karaoke duet many years ago. The fun, exuberant song was sung by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta for the 1978 film version of the hit musical Grease, which they both starred in. John Travolta is a decent actor, but was not a good singer. Neither am I, so my part of the Karaoke duet was perfectly fine.
“You’re the One That I Want” was not in the original stage musical, and was written by John Farrar specifically for Olivia Newton-John’s appearance in the film (along with her other hit song “Hopelessly Devoted to You”). The song originally written by Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs for the final number of the stage musical was “All Choked Up”, however it and another of their original songs were removed from both the film and soundtrack album. I think “You’re the One That I Want” is a superior song, and so did many others. It’s the kind of show-stopping finale number audiences love, and is now included in most contemporary stage performances of Grease, rather than the original number. It was also a worldwide smash hit, topping the music charts in the U.S., Australia, UK, Ireland, Germany, and numerous other countries. It spent nine weeks at #1 in both the UK and Australia.
I saw this Song of the Day Challenge on my friend Cathy’s blog Catherine Micqu, and thought I would give it a try. Cathy, who’s from Luxembourg, is a terrific and thoughtful writer, and shares a lot of great music too, so do check out her blog.
The song challenge was launched by Rockhal, the biggest musical venue in Luxembourg, on their Instagram account, but like Cathy, I think I will share my selections here instead. Day 1 is “a song that motivates you”, and my pick is the Eminem classic “Lose Yourself”. He wrote the song for the 2002 film 8 Mile, which he also starred in, and chronicles the struggles of the character B-Rabbit, and how he overcomes his problems and obstacles to gain the respect of other rappers. But in a broader sense, the song speaks to zeroing in with a laser focus on one’s dreams, and not letting anything or anyone dissuade you from doing everything you can to realize those dreams. If music is your dream, then you need to ‘lose yourself’ in it to make it happen. Like Eminem says at the end of the song “You can do anything you set your mind to, man.”
“Lose Yourself” is considered by many to be the greatest rap song ever, and was a huge hit, spending 12 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and also reaching #1 in 19 other countries. It won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and Grammys for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance. It’s one of my favorite songs of all time, and ranks #2 on my 100 Best Songs of the 2000s.
My favorite song of the 1980s, and one of my top 10 favorite songs of all time, is “Every Breath You Take” by English rock band The Police. It was the lead single from their hugely popular and critically acclaimed masterpiece and fifth and final album Synchronicity. The song was a massive hit, spending 8 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, 4 weeks at #1 on the UK singles charts, and also reaching #1 in Canada, Ireland, Israel and South Africa. It was the best-selling single and #1 song of 1983, and the fifth best-selling single of the 1980’s in the U.S. Rolling Stone named it the 84th best song on its list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and it won Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. In addition, Sting received the 1983 Ivor Norvello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.
It’s interesting to learn the back stories behind many of our favorite songs, and the one for “Every Breath You Take” was fraught with tension, both in terms of it’s creation and during its recording sessions. Sting wrote the song in 1982 after his split from his first wife Frances Tomelty and early in his relationship with Trudie Styler, with whom he began having an affair while still married to Frances. He and Frances had been next-door neighbors to Trudie, who also happened to be Frances’ best friend! The affair was widely condemned, and Sting retreated to the Caribbean to escape the tabloids.
He wrote the song while staying at Ian Fleming’s Goldeneye estate in Jamaica (Wikipedia), and the lyrics are essentially from Frances’ perspective; they’re the words of a possessive and jealous lover who’s watching “every breath you take; every move you make” of their partner. In a 1993 interview for The Independent, Sting recalled: “I woke up in the middle of the night with that line in my head, sat down at the piano and had written it in half an hour. The tune itself is generic, an aggregate of hundreds of others, but the words are interesting. It sounds like a comforting love song. I didn’t realise at the time how sinister it is. I think I was thinking of Big Brother, surveillance and control.” Ironically, many interpreted “Every Breath You Take” as a love song, which amused Sting to no end.
The recording process for the song was also fraught with difficulties, as personal tensions that had been simmering between the band members, especially Sting and drummer Stewart Copeland, came to a head. In a 2004 article written by Richard Buskin for Sound on Sound webzine, Synchronicity music producer Hugh Padgham claimed that by the time of the recording sessions, Sting and Copeland hated each other, and verbal and physical fights between them were a frequent occurrence. The tensions almost led to the recording sessions being cancelled, but fortunately for us, band manager Miles Copeland (Stewart’s brother) intervened and calmed tempers enough for them all to continue. You can read that fascinating Sound On Sound article here.
One of the amazing aspects of the song is how minimalist the instruments really are for such a magnificent track. Sting wanted fairly simple, straightforward instrumentals for the track that would basically consist of his bass, Andy Summers’ guitar parts and Copeland’s drums keeping a very straight rhythm with no fills. Tensions arose when Copeland wanted his drums to have a greater impact. Padgham recalled, “Stewart would say, ‘I want to fucking put my drum part on it!’ and Sting would say, ‘I don’t want you to put your fucking drum part on it! I want you to put what I want you to put on it!‘” Thankfully, Padgham convinced Sting to let Copeland add more drum parts, along with keyboard synthesizers and the single-note piano keys that give the song it’s signature hypnotic melody. Sting overdubbed his bass, as he often did, plus he added sounds from his Dutch upright electric double bass (which he nicknamed Brian) to achieve a fuller sound.
For his part, Stewart Copeland was never satisfied with the final product, and later commented: “In my humble opinion, this is Sting’s best song with the worst arrangement. I think Sting could have had any other group do this song and it would have been better than our version—except for Andy’s brilliant guitar part. Basically, there’s an utter lack of groove. It’s a totally wasted opportunity for our band, even though we made gazillions off of it, and it’s the biggest hit we ever had.”
Well, I strongly disagree, and so apparently did millions of others who loved the song enough make it a massive worldwide hit. I think it’s brilliant, and as close to perfect as a song could possibly be. I had it on repeat while I wrote this piece, and found it utterly captivating every single time. From the moment I hear that opening drum blast, the song thrills me as much today as it did in 1983.
Every breath you take and every move you make Every bond you break, every step you take, I’ll be watching you Every single day, every word you say Every game you play, every night you stay, I’ll be watching you
Oh can’t you see, you belong to me How my poor heart aches with every step you take
Every move you make and every vow you break Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I’ll be watching you
Since you’ve gone I’ve been lost without a trace I dream at night I can only see your face I look around, but it’s you I can’t replace I feel so cold and I long for your embrace I keep crying baby, baby, please
Oh can’t you see, you belong to me How my poor heart aches with every step you take
Every move you make and every vow you break Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I’ll be watching you Every move you make, every step you take, I’ll be watching you
The music video, filmed in black and white and directed by British rock band Godley & Creme, won the Best Cinematography award at the 1983 MTV Video Music Awards.
Iza Grau is a dark wave rock band based in Modena, Italy, who recently released their outstanding debut album, Vastness Hurts. (It dropped Friday, April 3rd, which seems to have been a big day for new music releases, as this is the fourth in a series of seven reviews I’m writing for music released that day.) It’s an astonishing work that I loved at first listen, and am pleased to now share it with my readers. The album contains nine stellar tracks, all of them dark, complex, melodic and thrilling, with influences that call to mind The Cure, Depeche Mode and Interpol, three bands I dearly love. In their own words, their music “draws its influences from the obscure imagery of the industrial / new wave movement of the last century, combined with visual inspirations such as Wim Wenders’ Berlin and the claustrophobic spaces of ‘Possession’ by Zulawski.”
Making this awesome music are Luca Amadessi (vocals), Sergio P. Cardinali (guitar), Alessandro Stefani (guitar), Roberto Fordiani (drums) and Giuseppe Longone (bass). Released via Cleopatra Records, Vastness Hurts was recorded by Simon Maccari at Peak Studio in Rubiera, Italy and mastered at by Giovanni Versari at La Maestà Mastering Studio in Forlì. The interesting cover art “You and whose army” for the album was created by Giacomo Vanetti.
The album kicks off with “Naiad“, and within seconds of hearing those haunting guitar notes, ominous synths and deep, buzzing bass, I’m hooked. Amadessi’s smoky vocals hover in a sweet zone between seductive and menacing as he croons “All your nightmares turned out to be your lovers, your lovers tonight.” His vocals rise to impassioned wails as the music explodes in the final chorus with screaming guitars and dramatic synths that leave me covered in goosebumps.
I’m barely able to catch my breath before “The Grace Within Nocturnal Animals” arrives on an exhilarating wave of driving beats and dazzling guitar riffs. With its retro 80s new wave grooves and descending guitar lines, the song has a brooding Depeche Mode/The Cure vibe, and I love it! The dual intricate layered guitar work by Cardinali and Stefani is spectacular, dancing over Longone’s smoldering bass line. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the album. And speaking of great bass lines, Longone’s driving bass on “Cage of Blessing” is a thing of wonder. Once again the guitar work here is breathtaking, with frantic riffs of resonant jangly guitars that seem to pay homage to The Cure. Fordiani smashes his drums like a raging beast, and Amadessi’s powerful vocals are spine-tingling.
As the album unfolds, the great tunes keep coming on strong. “Recoil” is a dark, melodically beautiful hard rock song with stunning guitar work. Amadessi’s sultry, passionate vocals sound better than ever as he fervently sings “Changing evermore / Till you destroy your lies / Till your pain becomes a cross, and you’re about to die.” The anthemic “Inviolate” delivers raging riffs of gnarly and chiming guitars, nimble bass grooves and a thunderous mix of crashing cymbals and pummeling drums. By now, I’m in absolute awe of Iza Grau’s jaw-dropping musicianship.
“Northern Lights” starts off with distant-sounding psychedelic synths, then watery riffs of jangly guitars wash over us, plunging us headlong into a mysterious and beautiful soundscape as Amadessi ominously croons “Your life remains forever in the frail form of whirling waves / Waiting for a slow dive / It’s a slow dive into your fleshy rage.” Many of Iza Grau’s dramatic lyrics are rather allegorial and enigmatic, in their words “influenced and shaped by the theme of ‘the double’ that governs the forces of nature and humanity.”
“Burn Everything” has an Interpol sound to my ears, and in fact, Amadessi’s moody, droning vocals remind me a bit of Paul Banks, but with an Italian accent. Another favorite of mine is “Endless Dance“, a dark and spooky track with ghostly synths, haunting riffs, buzzsaw bass and pummeling drumbeats, all accompanied by Amadessi’s menacing vocals that turn downright scary at the end.
The album closes with the title track “Vastness Hurts“, a melodically complex and gorgeous song that borders on symphonic rock. The intense, sweeping instrumentals and progressive metal elements create a breathtaking cinematic soundscape that’s truly spectacular. I’m sounding like a broken record and running out of superlatives, but yet again I have to reiterate that the powerful and intricate guitar work is fucking phenomenal. It’s a grand finish to a magnificent album that I happily label a musical masterpiece. Vastness Hurts is a remarkable work, and an impressive debut for this incredibly talented band.
A growing trend in music today is the collaboration between artists located hundreds or thousands of miles apart, made possible by the internet and technological advances in music production. I’ve recently featured a few such collaborations, and my latest is the new dance single “Perfect” by the lovely Greek singer-songwriter Sofia Katsaros and Italian musician and producer Chris Keya. Sofia recorded her vocals along with studio instruments in Athens, and Chris produced, mixed and mastered the track at his studio in Rome. He also created an alternative Tech House remix, which I’ve included below.
Born in New York to Greek and Colombian parents, Sofia discovered her love for music at an early age. She relocated with her family to Corinth, Greece at the age of ten, then moved to Athens when she turned 18, and earned a degree at the American College of Greece. She speaks six languages: Greek, English, Spanish, French, Italian and Arabic! She also studied classical and modern song, dance and theater, and started her career in Athens as a professional singer and show woman. She’s collaborated and performed with many famous artists all over the world. In 2016, she returned to New York to further pursue some of her career goals, and while there, she recorded the sultry EDM single “With You Here Tonight” with American producer Alvin Anthony, which was released in July 2018.
She returned to Athens in the summer of 2018, and has written the music and lyrics for six new songs that are being recorded with four different producers from four different countries. The first of these is her collaboration “Perfect” with Italian producer Chris Keya (aka Christian Caruso), which dropped April 9th. Based in Rome, Chris started out as a rock and metal guitarist, but later became fascinated by electronic music and turned to producing music as both a solo artist and for other artists. His sound is a mix of various genres including Techno & House with some Electro touches. He’s a prolific artist, putting out a great deal of music over the past couple of years. A lot of it’s really good, so check it out on one of the music links at the bottom of this review.
About “Perfect”, Sofia explains “It’s a fun dance song that speaks about the concept of true love, and how when love is pure, it protects us from all evil.” She wanted to write a song to cheer people up during these troubling times of killer viruses and widespread political and economic unrest. The track has a sexy Deep House beat, with glossy atmospheric synths and warm keyboards that are quite marvelous. Sofia has a vibrant and soulful vocal style that’s slightly reminiscent of Taylor Dayne, a singer I really love. The single’s aptly-titled, cause it’s perfect.
In the Tech Edit version, Sofia’s vocals are more sultry and smoky, and remind me of Christina Aguilera. Chris employs strong Deep House beats, but this time uses more industrial tech-sounding synths, and adds electronically altered vocals along with Sofia’s that create great dramatic tension that’s sure to make it a big hit in the dance clubs – if and when we’ll be able to return to them!
The lyrics speak to the strength of enduring love, that no matter what problems may come or mistakes her loved one makes, she will always continue to love and support them:
The stars might fall, but when you call I’ll be there ‘cause you’re perfect to me The clouds may cry, turn black at night I’ll keep you dry cause you’re perfect to me The sun up high will shine its light I’ll keep you warm ‘cause your perfect to me The sky holds all the stars above I’ll show you love ‘cause you’re perfect to me
Almost exactly one year ago, I did an artist spotlight and interview with the hard-working and talented Olsson brothers Axel and Adam, who call themselves Jaded Jane. They’re both gracious and kind, and I’ve grown quite fond of them. Originally from Gothenburg, Sweden, and now split between Gothenburg and Glasgow, Scotland, the duo celebrate humanity and diversity through their music, writing compelling songs with positive, life-affirming lyrics and delivered with gorgeous piano-driven melodies and lush soundscapes. The brothers are prolific and busy artists, and have produced five outstanding albums since 2015, most recently 117 this past October. I reviewed “Trapped”, one of the stunning songs from 117, and you can read that review and my spotlight & interview by clicking on the “Related” links at the end of this post.
Jaded Jane is now back with another wonderful song “Heaven is Heart“, along with a powerful and deeply personal video. The song was written by Axel, and mixed and produced by their long-time collaborator and sound engineer Åke Linton. Axel was inspired to write the song from his experiences busking on the streets of Glasgow. He’s written on his social media of the challenges he’s faced trying to get their music heard, especially the struggles of being a street musician. He’s stated that he has met some of the nicest people and also some of the worst. But every once in a while, something really good can come from out of the blue:
“Being an artist is a challenging calling for anyone living in 2020. Playing the streets to let out my notes inside, led me to meet the person who played this song on BBC Radio Scotland for the first time in February on The Roddy Hart Show. What are the odds? From the streets to the BBC Radio. When you follow your passion you’ll find your true self. Big thanks to Paul English who discovered our music on the streets & premiered this song on BBC Sounds.”
Accordingly, the song’s lyrics speak to not allowing yourself to become totally beaten down and defeated by what can sometimes feel like an endless stream of adversities, but instead choosing to brush them off, forgive others as well as ourselves, and keep moving forward. Not always an easy thing to do, but it’s what we must do in order to survive in this often difficult world.
I’m beaten up inside You’ll see it in my eyes I’ve swallowed my pride You won’t see it outside Burned my candle down They’re using me We’re burning up inside They’re using us
How long? How long will this go on?
Taking responsibility For the choices I made Forgive myself I forgive everyone else Letting go of the past To live in the here & now I’ll build myself up My Heaven is Heart
So long, So long it’s been so long How long. How long will this go on?
Musically, the song features Axel’s lovely piano, accompanied by delicate atmospheric synths and gently throbbing bass notes from what sounds like a moog synthesizer. His beautiful vocals have a haunting, vulnerable quality that’s quite touching. The artistic and imaginative video was directed and produced by Rachel Koumparou, and shows Axel naked in front of a blank background, exposing himself not only physically but also emotionally. His brother Adam paints the words ‘How Long’ on Axel’s shoulder and arm, then ‘Heaven Is Heart’ on his chest as he gracefully moves to the music, smearing paint on his face and torso as if beating himself up but also reveling in the joy of being alive.
“Heaven Is Heart” will be officially released for streaming and purchase on most music sites on May 16.
1. BLINDING LIGHTS – The Weeknd (1)
2. DON’T START NOW – Dua Lipa (2)
3. EVERYTHING I WANTED – Billie Eilish (3)
4. USED TO LIKE – Neon Trees (4)
5. ADORE YOU – Harry Styles (6)
6. BLACK MADONNA – Cage the Elephant (7)
7. DANCE OF THE CLAIRVOYANTS – Pearl Jam (5)
8. VAN HORN – Saint Motel (9)
9. LOST IN YESTERDAY – Tame Impala (11)
10. CAUTION – The Killers (22)
11. LOVE YOU FOR A LONG TIME – Maggie Rogers (8)
12. HERO – Michael Kiwanuka (15)
13. SHINE A LITTLE LIGHT – The Black Keys (16)
14. OH YEAH! – Green Day (17)
15. UNCHAINED – Devon Gilfillian (10)
16. OVER AND OVER – Amongst Liars (18)
17. BAD DECISIONS – The Strokes (19)
18. YOUR LOVE (DÉJÀ VU) – Glass Animals (21)
19. TEXAS SUN – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (14)
20. DELETER – Grouplove (24)
21. THE BEST – AWOLNATION (12) 20th week on list
22. ME & YOU TOGETHER SONG – The 1975 (23)
23. COLORS – Black Pumas (13)
24. LET’S FALL IN LOVE FOR THE NIGHT – FINNEAS (26)
25. MARIA – Two Feet (27)
26. BEAUTIFUL FACES – Declan McKenna (28)
27. LEMON DROP – Absofacto (29)
28. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (30)
29. LIFE IN THE CITY – The Lumineers (20)
30. HELL N BACK – Bakar (N)
I’ve been following Australian-born, and now Los Angeles-based, singer/songwriter Wons Phreely (aka Justin Wonsley) since first learning about him in 2016. He’s an interesting, funny, thoughtful, hard-working and highly creative guy, and I love his music and off-beat vocal style. He grew up and began his music career in Perth, but relocated to Los Angeles in 2015 in search of a more dynamic and varied artistic environment where he could grow as a musician and artist.
In 2016, with his backup band The Horses he released an autobiographical single “Stars” that addressed his experiences overcoming self-doubt and fear of change, and enabling him to make the life-altering move from Australia to Los Angeles. In November 2017, he followed up with another great single “The Night Has An Alibi,” accompanied by a strange but brilliant video he directed in which he’s portrayed as only a head. I reviewed both singles, each of which ended up placing on my Top 100 Songs lists for 2016 and 2018, respectively. (You can check out those reviews under “Related” at the end of this post.)
Now he returns with a brand new single “Restless To Run“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week. As with all his songs, Wons was inspired by his own life experiences: “I wrote the song about your (my) famous first romantic tryst and how it got all messed up.”
But he elaborates on a larger, more philosophical level: ‘Restless To Run’ is about all the many paths we can choose in life, and how sometimes we have to run down the wrong ones, fall down, get back up and then choose a new road to head down. We all mess up, fail and have false starts, I signed a with a big management and publishing label, but I had this feeling like it wasn’t right, like I had to get away, start again, and run in my own direction. Then I got to LA, where I felt more like myself. Even if I’m struggling daily, I’m doing things on my own terms, like directing music videos, or writing songs for people. Its not easy, but it’s the right road for me. And sometimes the failures can be what make us feel alive.
I’d like to dedicate this song to the spirit of embracing failure. That’s what I connect to in rock and roll. I wrote it after the passing of David Bowie. I actually found myself crying a little, which is something I’ve never done over the passing of a famous person. It felt almost like the end of an era when artists could experiment, and still be accepted by pop culture, with no consideration for commercial results. Just self expression on who they are and how they felt. Bowie’s first few albums completely flopped, and yet an industry and the public still supported him until he had formed his musical identity and began to connect through a very personal expression of who he was. Same goes for artists like Springsteen, Prince and Elton, who were failures for their first couple of records, but carried on anyway. And these artists arrived at some truly unique styles and self-expression that still resonates today. Time is a tricky one. It’s about learning who you are as you grow into yourself. Bowie made me want to make music that’s fun, camp, glamorous and sexy.”
Like all his songs, Wons starts with a catchy melody and bouncy, head-bopping beat, then layers jangly guitars, snappy drumbeats, and exuberant, swirling synths that evoke a sun-kissed and carefree Southern California afternoon. But the real highlight are his delightfully quirky but pleasing vocals that start off with a plaintive croon, then veer off into a joyous, breathy falsetto that’s so endearing. And I love how his Australian accent shines through.
He’s also released another clever video to accompany the single, about which he explains: “I wanted the video to feel like simpler times. It was deliberately shot with a lo-fi approach using a handheld iPhone with no lenses or smooth, stabilized shots. The aim was to convey innocence and romanticism—a longing you can only really capture and express through music.”
Wons also made a lyric video for the song that opens with an aerial shot of Hollywood that zeroes in on a billboard on Hollywood Boulevard that shows the video playing.
I recently learned about Swedish alternative folk artist A Choir of Ghosts when his label Greywood Records reached out to me about his debut album An Ounce of Gold. I receive a lot of music submissions – far more than I can possibly write about – but this one stood out from the pack, as it’s an exquisite work deserving of attention. A Choir of Ghosts is the musical alter-ego of British-born but now Sweden-based singer-songwriter James Auger, who along with an ever- changing cast of collaborators creates beautiful songs drawing from folk, Americana, and pop-rock influences.
He’s released a number of singles, beginning in 2016 with the beautiful “Ester”, then followed up a year later with “Morning Light”, which has been streamed more than 1.3 million times on Spotify. Both songs were featured on his 2018 release Woods EP. Now he returns with An Ounce of Gold, which dropped April 3rd. The album features 11 tracks, all of them outstanding. James wrote and performed all the songs on the album, which he co-produced with Canadian producer Terry Benn. The songs were inspired by his own life experiences, with lyrics touching on his personal journey of trying to find his place in the world. He describes the album as a kind of diary of the experiences and feelings he’s gone through that served to shape his character.
The album opens with “Intro“, a haunting instrumental that slowly builds into a beautiful cinematic soundscape, and provides a fitting introduction for the gorgeous “Sinner In Rapture“. With James’ lovely strummed guitar as a foundation, beautiful sweeping synths and percussion are added to form a breathtaking wall of sound. His earnest vocals are clear and strong, soaring with such intensity in the choruses they give me goosebumps. He states that the song “is about the way all young people are set up to fail with the way society is built and how I didn’t want to be part of that capitalist machine. This song is the end of the world, the end of everything we know.”
“Outside the Window” is a pleasing folk song that seems to be about recognizing the power of home and growing old with someone who makes life worth living. The track features lovely guest vocals by Lisa Eriksson, whose voice harmonizes beautifully with James’. She also played organ on the track, while bass was played by Jonatan Nordström and drums by Erik Edlund. “The Days Fade Quicker” is a poignant folk tune, with pleasing strummed acoustic guitar and gentle backing instruments. The lyrics speak of a man who’s ready to give up on life: “Cause there’s only so many days, until a man finally breaks, and a man finally takes, and a man finally shakes free.”
One of the standouts among many is the title track “An Ounce of Gold“. I’m sounding like a broken record, but yet again I have to say that it’s another beautiful song, and James’ vocals are really sublime. It has a catchy melody, with a charming Irish folk vibe thanks to the lovely violins and fiddle, yet the lyrics are rather bittersweet: “Cause I push and I pull, but I can’t keep a hold of these things in my heart and that ounce of gold. I lost my own way and I can’t find a home.” James provided a bit of background about the lyrics on his Facebook page: “Before I moved to Sweden and started A Choir of Ghosts, I had a band in England called James & The Natives. It was during this period that I wrote “An Ounce of Gold”. I was in quite a new relationship and made the usual mistake I think we all have; I abandoned my friends. I figured my time was much better spent watching films and eating way too much. And obviously, I was young, so after a while everything collapsed with that relationship and I went back to my friends as if it was yesterday that I’d seen them last.”
The lead single released in advance of the album was “Southwest of The Moon” a gentle, deeply moving song that James wrote “as a letter of apology, both to himself to be stronger and asking forgiveness for the people he have hurt.” The lyrics “You’re gone, lonely and free, you said goodbye without saying a word. I’ll be quiet, hoping that you will say ‘come home‘” really tear at the heartstrings.
James keeps delivering more beautiful, heartfelt tunes, touching on the hopeful feeling of soon reuniting with a loved one on “Driving Home“, of falling into water as a metaphor for growing up and facing the sometimes cold, hard realities of life on “The Water“, and his own shortcomings that come from being “Human“. Another favorite track of mine is “Better Off Alone“, a haunting duet between James and an unnamed female vocalist that sounds like a song that could have been sung by Icelandic group Of Monsters and Men. James’ layered guitar work is marvelous, and the track’s arrangement and production are superb.
The closing track “The Taste of Smoke” is a lovely folk ballad, with strummed acoustic guitar and delicate background synths. The lyrics are somewhat ambiguous to me, but seem they could be interpreted to be spoken to god, a loved one, or even to oneself in an attempt to find inner strength: “But keep in mind that I am not the same as I was before. When I fold away another page, we’ll break through this storm.” In any case, it’s a fitting conclusion to a truly wonderful album. As I stated at the beginning of this review, An Ounce of Gold is exquisite. It’s a stunning and expertly-crafted work of musical art that A Choir of Ghosts should be quite proud of.
The first few tour dates have been canceled in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, but A Choir of Ghosts hopes to play the following dates:
I’ve recently been revisiting a lot of artists that I’ve previously featured on this blog, as so many of them are putting out new music. One of my personal favorites is British artist Paul Iwan, a gracious and talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Liverpool. Last October, I reviewed his outstanding single “Reward”, which was a cover of the song originally recorded by Liverpool new wave band The Teardrop Explodes. I liked it so much, it spent four months on my Weekly Top 30. Now Paul is back with a new single “Returning”, for which he recorded two different versions – “Returning (Red)” and “Returning (Blue)”.
He wrote the song last year for submission to the Liverpool Acoustic 24 hour Songwriting Challenge at Threshold Festival 2019, and he won! Like many singer-songwriters, Paul’s lyrics often reflect his own life experiences. The theme of the 2019 Challenge was ‘Returning’, which inspired Paul to contemplate his own personal struggles with PTSD and addiction, and explore the concept of returning as it relates to his experiences with relapse and regression. The competition also pushed him to venture outside of his usual comfort zone and into a more acoustic setting, where the song could speak for itself.
Now, a year later he has released two newly recorded versions of the song to coincide with what would have been the first day of Threshold 2020 (unfortunately sidelined by the damned COVID-19 pandemic). The Red version of “Returning” is in Paul’s more typical exuberant alt-rock style, with layered synths, loops and electric guitars, whereas the Blue version is stripped back to a simple arrangement with acoustic guitar, piano, vibraphone and subtle percussion. The songs were performed and produced by Paul at Studio 45 in Liverpool, and mixed and mastered by Andy Fernihough at 3rd Planet Studios Liverpool.
So I lean into my darkness I touch the trauma with the tips of my fingers Under this light how can I see? The shadows are shifting; inviting me in.
You are there You are there Suffocating and suffering I hold my hands I’ll be watching And I’ll be waiting for you I’m returning to my fear, its all I know I’m returning to my tears, it’s all I know.
I know my storm is coming in Whatever I’ve taken You hold my soul my memories This face in the mirror The face of my nightmare Lost and corrupted
I’m returning from a distance But my reflection is all I see I’m yearning for the past The one I thought I’d lost forever So much pain within
I’m returning to my fear It’s all I know
I like both versions a lot, but I think I prefer the Blue version if I had to choose one over the other. I like the higher clarity of sound in the Blue version, where the lovely piano keys and acoustic guitar really stand out. Also, Paul has a distinctive and vibrant tenor singing voice, and with the more subdued instrumentals, the power of his vocals and lyrics are allowed to shine through. Take a listen to each version, and decide for yourself.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 