Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.
𝘾𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 – 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙨
Charles is back…
Did ya miss me…? Yes? Not particularly? Well, either way, I’m back. I have been not hither, but thither. Not only was I taking a break from this here Corner (it can get a tad claustrophobic at times), but I was busy being elsewhere. Not London, not England, and not even Britain. Europe in the Summertime – THAT’S what’s been happening! Yes, I know Britain is in Europe, but, ya know… It is but it isn’t. It’s a different kind of Europe. Britain is just not very “European”. I needed to feel that European thang. Sometimes I do Italy, but this time I did not. This time, my girlfriend and I went up into the sky and landed in her original turf of Poland. Thankfully, the aeroplane did not burst into flames or do anything it shouldn’t have done. I don’t think I have ever had such an absurdly packed schedule while on holiday. Aside from buses, trams, tubes and cars, we were taking trains almost every single day. Not to mention a ridiculous amount of walking. Doesn’t sound much like a holiday, does it! The thing is, I have never been one for lying on a beach for a week. Even the idea bores the hell out of me, as the sun burns the pale out of me. This constant movement is the very momentum that keeps things bubbling. Then and now, I just can’t stop feeling! There was modern urban city. There was beautiful old city. There was countryside. There was beach. There was river and sea; food and sun. Museums and memories; nature and manners. We covered so much yet really very little of this vast land of Po. I live for feelings, and feeling was basically all I did for those ten days.
Both of us were wandering with the innocent delight and joy that children so effortlessly carry. There was no strict itinerary or anything like that – there lies the feeling of chores (not the feeling I was craving at all), but we had a rough plan. This place, that place, this place, that place, and potentially, this place, if we’ve got time. We had time. We made time. Everything worked because Poland allowed it to work. It’s that kind of a place. It doesn’t make things difficult. It’s an affable sort of a place designed extremely well, made BY the people, FOR the people. Not by the SYSTEM, for the MONEY. But what was one of my favourite things about Poland? Nope, not the pierogi (dumplings). I don’t think I’ll bother with the guessing games, I’ll just tell you. It’s the Polish themselves. Poland is full of Polish people. Now, this might at first sound rather obvious, but just think about it again properly. The world has changed a lot in the last ten to twenty years, as you know. Most countries have gone full-on multicultural. Now, while this is somewhat freeing in one way, it does mean that places can start to lose their identity. Cultures can dilute or fuse. Again, there is good in this, if done with respect both ways. But what I really wanted in going to Poland was to feel the Polish way. I wanted to be immersed in Polishness. Surely this is the purpose of travel, no? I don’t want to go to a different country and go to shops that I have in London, eat food that I have in London, speak and hear the language that I have in London. Otherwise what’s the bloody point in travel at all?! I always find it weird when in London I see Italian tourists shopping for clothes in shops that they have all over Italy now. Or Chinese tourists eating noodles in Chinese restaurants. Or Irish tourists drinking Guinness in Ye Olde Irish Tavern (established 2009). Poland is so far being kept Polish by the Polish, and it is just so bloody refreshing! It’s good for us, and it’s good for them. Despite that big old language barrier, I just couldn’t stop feeling. Despite not understanding a single word of what anyone was saying, I felt warmth, manners and humble pride (yes, I know that shouldn’t be a thing, but that’s how it was). I felt care, happiness, ease, comfort, politeness, respect and the sweetest sense of humour. Of course, you will get the odd young, loud, swearing, drunk thug, but with this rarity I am able to turn my feelings towards being knee-deep in pierogi. Why waste feelings on young thugs when there’s so much beauty around? Besides, I’ve got yet another train to catch!
One final thing that was just SO refreshing, was how much the Polish evidently care about culture and the arts. I felt like I must have been surrounded by intelligent people. Every kind of train (and tube) we took had little screens dotted about the carriages (something that London – surprisingly – does not yet have). I should hate this. It’s unnecessary, it’s distracting and it’s ugly… Right…? Well, in somewhere like London, it would probably be all those things. But these screens are not blaring out colours loud and fast, telling you to “Chew Good”. They are not adverts at all! Well, they are advertising, but they’re not paid sponsors. Whichever city you’re in, they’re advertising cultural things to do in said city. An open-air classical concert, an open-air cinema in the park, an art exhibition in a nearby gallery (closed-air). Or they’re showing you how they’re making the city better. Actually genuinely better!! So, on these comfortable, clean, quiet, air-conditioned (and cheap) trains, I just can’t stop feeling. Now, THAT’S what a holiday is supposed to be.
Speaking of culture and the arts, I should probably talk about some artist or other. Supposedly the very reason you came here…! I think many of you assumed I would review ‘And So We Fall’, by Sano Hill and Emily Gray… The thing is, it is already number one in the New Artist Spotlight charts (congrats to both of you!), and it was my own production and mix, so it felt a bit funny to come back to my Corner and write about an arrangement that I arranged. But I do urge you to listen to it, should you not have already done so. I think it’s rather fab. It is also proof that the NAS family still has wings that can fly together effortlessly without the whole thing bursting into flames. This week, my continued stream of feelings is not halted or even slowed down. It is, however, moved from Poland to Montréal, Canada. And as we all know, Canada is one of the greatest countries when it comes to music. Please welcome for the second time on Connolly’s Corner, Blue Royals, with their latest single, Can’t Stop Feeling. I had hoped that this song would come crashing into the Top 10 or even Top 5 of the NAS charts a couple of weeks ago, but it did not. I then had refreshed hopes that THIS would be the week. Again: nada. It has not entered the charts! I can’t stop feeling this is wrong. I had only to assume that it has simply not yet been heard. Hence the main reason I do these things every week: to show you what you might have missed (and to rave about the brilliant singles that you would inevitably hear). Duty calls, and I must both show and rave! Blue Royals is a duo made up of Kristian Carvajal Velk and Mattia Demaz-Hébert. I will boldly (and perhaps rudely) abbreviate these to Kris and Matt. Firstly, I do hear subtle elements of a few other NAS artists: Talking to Sophie, Faded Element (but softer), Amaury Laurent Bernier, Electric Sol, Paul McCormick and Coumarin, which is nice. There is the most easy ease throughout its sections, just like a summer stroll. From the old days there is perhaps influence from bands like Fleetwood Mac, and from the new(er) days, there’s bits of Travis, Toploader and Keane. Making an easy sound ain’t easy…
On to Kris and Matt. Although (I think) mainly written by Kris, Can’t Stop Feeling was penned by both members. However, I am missing out one major member for this song and their forthcoming EP. A third writer was involved, and he did a lot more than write… Montréal is lucky enough to claim ownership of yet another great band by the name of St-Eugene. One member of said band is Vincent Mombleau, and it is he who is the third and final writer. Writing, however, is just one of his many talents. He played almost every instrument on this record. And not only that, but he co-produced, mixed and mastered the record too! And I simply LOVE that the band has credited him properly with everything he has brought to this brilliant record. Too often I see that artists are not crediting mixing engineers, producers and musicians, and it always hurts me. I mean, I’m not crying when I find that a flautist was only credited as playing the flute despite the fact that they also played the piccolo…! But I do feel it should be compulsory (and natural) to credit everyone involved in making a record. I’m not even talking about royalty splits. Just simply mentioning them!! It doesn’t cost a penny. Anyway, thank you to Blue Royals (and Sano Hill) for doing this. So! Kris mainly (I think) wrote the song, played guitar and sang backing vocals. Matt sang the lead vocals and other backing vocals. Vince(eebaybee) – perhaps rather informal for a man with whom I have never had contact – played piano, bass, keys, synth, guitar, drums and percussion, and even sang some backing vocals.
Might I advise headphones…? Classic guitars and electric piano dance with light feet around the wide, open drums. These drums, while airy, are deep and snappy, as they underpin the perfectly regulated bassline. The best of intros: under ten seconds. Enter those vocals, as the guitars take a breather. These vocals are full, close and personal. No low end, leaving space for the body of the bass, kick and keys. As the pre-chorus begins to unfold, various synths and guitars are brought in to fill out width, but also to suggest that something bigger is to come. And indeed, something wicked this way comes. There’s a bump in volume and energy as we enter the first chorus. But what a brief chorus! Back into verse two, then a doubled second chorus. But then… At 1:51, the song explodes in depth, layers, bass, width and body. Everything is fuller and more rounded. The backing vocals take hold and come forward. The hi-hat is given a rest as the ride cymbal is given a good beating. It’s my favourite kind of ride cymbal: it still has the “ting”, but it has a lovely washy background quality. The snare, toms and kick really have such punch, being the absolute driving force of the song. At around 2:21, it seems as though everything is thinning to a close… But NO!! Only seconds later we wind it up again and go for a final 55 seconds. The guitars are now at the forefront. Then all the voices intertwined with one another. Then the most scintillating piano line right from the “Book of Chris Martin” It’s just GLORious!! This mix is what excites me the most. It’s like controlled fireworks! A truly trojan track from three sublimely talented Canadians. I can’t stop feeling!!!
As for Poland, I pity the natives for having to put up with so many mannerless tourists. It brings a new meaning to the term “spit and Polish”.
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