For the first post of the Up and Becoming series we feature songs from James Holt, Columbia, Neon Waltz and Howie Payne. A playlist of all the songs will be linked below. So without wasting any time, lets get into the tracks you should be adding to your playlists:
James Holt:
Whatever Happened To John – A song that screams both Bob Dylan and a good time. It’s close to Bob’s more energetic tracks, sounding especially similar to “Subterranean Homesick Blues”. The song is vigorously lively, meaning you cant help but move to it. What elevates this track is its transitions and bridges. The song darts around in lots of different structures, all whilst keeping the quick foot tapping beat. This keeps it interesting as well as entertaining to listen to.
Pendulum – This song in contrast to the previous one shows just how much control James has over a broad selection of styles. It has more 80’s and 90’s influences with instrumentals similar to what you would expect of The Smiths. The lyrics are strong and sung in a stylised fashion to fit the different feel of the song.
Columbia:
This Life – A song made up of lots of 90’s alternative inspirations. The instrumentals are not too distant from an Oasis track, especially the whining lead guitar at the end of the track. However the delivery of the song is heavier and more aggressive, reflecting something similar to a an early Feeder single. A song that must inject a fantastic atmosphere when performed live.
Neon Waltz:
Heavy Heartless – This one grew on me. What starts like a typical album slow song elevates itself to be a memorable track. The chorus is extremely engaging with well delivered lyrics and a compelling chord progression. What results is a quite a sentimental, vulnerable song that is deeply captivating.
Howie Payne:
It Feels Like Summer – Howie Payne has elegantly crafted a fun song that still holds a lot of sentiment. The song has exquisite, gentle verses, building into a classic arm waving chorus. The lyrics and their delivery is very heartfelt creating a track that’s just super pleasant to listen to.
Summary:
We have a great selection of tracks for the first Up and Becoming week. There are lots of tracks here that must be great to hear live but also have enough complexity and depth to ensure you keep coming back to them. My personal favourite has to James Holt’s “Whatever Happened To John?”. I am very partial towards anything with a 60’s vibe so it’s natural this one resonated with me a lot.
Playlist Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4eHPpnjlKH41XRYTXLmjl7?si=XgHHdDFsSvyOByQxvZuCUA
