Welcome all to ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐น๐น๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ, 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 ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ผ๐ง๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ฉ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฉ playlists.
๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฟ๐ง๐๐๐ – ๐๐๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ก๐ข
Charles listens to his friendsโฆ
Lowness is a common feeling these days, it seems. Okay, it doesnโt โseemโ, it IS. But how is this any different from the past? Weโve always had low times. Weโre human, after all. Up, down, up, down, upโฆ down. Like a yo-yo that eventually loses its impetus to rise. The difference between the lows of then and the lows of now is that the lows used to be slotted in between the highs, whereas now I donโt see too many people talking about the highsโฆ But the main thing Iโve noticed is how this general lowness seems to cover the full age spectrum from young to โhow are you still going??โ. I donโt know of this ever happening before. And it ainโt good. So, what are we to do? You could try to distract yourself with brief nonsenseโฆ You could maybe analyse whatโs wrong and attempt to put it rightโฆ You could see a therapistโฆ These are all fair ways of sorting the matter. But sometimes itโs just a case of riding it out. Where there isnโt a great deal one can really do, but wait for things to get better. I suppose Iโm more talking about sadness rather than lowness. While you wait for time to pass, you might as well use this overflowing emotion and get something out of itโฆ
I have spoken several times about music being a healer. It is so much more than a distraction. It can weave itself into our genes and become a part of us. We all feel, but none so much as an artist. Artists tend to feel everything in overdrive. Something good is something great. Something bad is something horrific. Something happy is something exciting. Something sad is something mortifying. Passion and emotion are turned up to eleven. A โnormalโ person (not an artist) can put on some music in a vague attempt to distract or soothe. It ends up as background sound or something to hum to. An artist can place the needle within the groove and find something rather different. It is far from background sound. The artist is not hearing it, but listening to it. The music is absorbed into the bloodstream, and the artistโs soul has a partner with which to dance, feel and cry. There is such beauty in sadness, but it must be properly honed in order to be beautiful. Otherwise itโs just depressing. Basically, music stops things from simply being a bit shit.
But although I have mentioned this thing about music being a healer many times before, this time itโs a bit different. Because Iโm not talking about music in general; Iโm talking about specific songs. Now youโre waiting for me to tell you which magic songs those are. Itโs not quite like that, however, because these special songs are different for everyone. If youโve lived a little life of music, then youโll know that there are just a few very important songs for you. This isnโt necessarily your favourite songs. For example, the song that joins ME in the hardest moments, I have not heard in years. Itโs not even a brilliant song. But it helps me. It moves me. It moves WITH me. It has been a close friend of decades, but a friend I donโt โseeโ often. And that song ISโฆโฆ Nah, youโre not interested in knowing that, so letโs move on. But you see, songs are genuinely like friends to me. You know how your closest friends can not only make you feel better, but can mourn and weep with you? Well, thatโs what these few SPECIAL songs are for me: my friends. Sad, innit. Think about it, though. That song is not ever going to be too busy to help, you can summon it in seconds, and it will never let you down. Itโs the perfect friend! โIโll be there for you, cos youโre there for me tooโ – Friends. And I am, always there for it, but it never seems to need anything from me, except my ears.
It seems as though Patrik Ahlm – who may or may not have appeared here once or twice before – has similar feelings about certain songs by certain artists. Patrik Ahlm, the sweetest Swede, has put this idea to music in his latest release, โUntil The Tears Have Driedโ. Itโs such an excellent, clever observation, that until the tears have dried, we have โthe one song we can fall back onโ. Oh sorry, this is the bit where Iโm supposed to tell you all about the artistโฆ Well, you all know him well, or rather, his music. For heโs a jolly good fellow, โand so say all of usโ/โwhich nobody can denyโ (depending on whether youโre familiar with the British or the American version). But he is, a jolly good fellow. Very lovely, very caring and very kind. But more importantly to us, heโs the fabbest music man. I say โmusic manโ loosely because he does it all; the writing, the arranging, the producing, the playing, the programming, the singing, the mixing and the mastering. To me, thatโs a music man. But Iโm not impressed by the list, Iโm impressed by the quality. I must admit I didnโt adore his last single (rare for me); but the good news is, I was evidently in the minority. โSandstormโ was possibly his biggest hit of the last year, certainly in terms of the New Artist Spotlight Top 20 chart. So what does it matter what EYE thinkโฆ? This new song of his, though, I feel like he is right back on track with what he does best. Smooth, slick pop with a heck of a lot of heart.
Back to the song. Verse one mentions Bowie. Verse two mentions Janis Joplin. Chorus one blows us away. Verse three mentions R.E.M.. Chorus two hits even harder. The bridge reinforces the songโs passionate point. Chorus three has you singing along, sure of the fact that your voice is as good as that of John Legend. Fade to completion. Yes, an actual fade. Come on, itโs 2026: isnโt it about time we brought back the fade-out?! Iโm rather bored of those sudden stops at the end of most songs in the last couple of decades. That abrupt halt so often emphasising the cheapness of a production; as if the loop has naturally stopped at the end of the bar, and therefore there is no more. Fading out is so much more musical, anthemic, sophisticated, and gives the whole piece a grand, lasting quality. Lord, I canโt remember the last time EYE used a fade-out. Must do it. Anyway: Bowie, Joplin, R.E.Mโฆ. These mentions are brief, yet key moments in the song. They are simply examples of what COULD BE the artists behind those songs that mean so much to you. They wouldnโt be MY choices, but they might well be YOURS. And Iโm sure they veer more towards Patrikโs choices. Again, these have little to do with โfavouriteโ songs, but instead the ones that hold you in times of trouble.
I have had this ultimate honour a few times, where people have told me that when theyโre in a certain mood, nothing but a certain song of mine fits better. And whatโs even more surprising is that itโs not always the same song. The first time someone told me this, I was absolutely bowled over. I simply couldnโt believe that a song I had written (โIf You Wouldโ, unreleased) could have this effect on anyone. And I have a strong feeling that โUntil The Tears Have Driedโ could become that very special song for several. Not just because of the words, but also everything else it has to offer. The luring synths pulsing through oneโs veins? The close, personal nature of Patrikโs dry voice? The sporadic heart-jolting percussion that catches you off guard? The heart-melting melodies that make your tears hot? The exquisitely placed polite piano that drifts above like clouds of safety? Or maybe itโs simply the anticipation of that chorus with its loud, rich, airy harmonies that have you on your knees as you pound the carpet with your fists, and your tears and drool get together to form a soggy puddle – the carpet darkens but you continue to sing alongโฆ? Whatever it is, this is more than a song. It is an important part of someoneโs life. Patrik Ahlm is more than a man. He is an artist.
If youโre willing to share, Iโd love to hear which song is YOUR friend. Mine isโฆ Nah, youโre not interested.
If youโre planning to cry into the carpet, make sure to initially remove all traces of eyeliner and mascara, or that song will be an ex-friend.
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