Julian Taylor – Running Away
Familiarity and nostalgia can be powerful weapons in the hands of those who know how to wield them. A picture of a smiling, happy family helps sell plenty of presents around Christmas. And, the sound of Elvis’ voice could move movie tickets and merchandise of all kinds. Sometimes, to get across, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel but rather remind audiences how much they need that old wheel to begin with.
Everybody knows the blues. Everyone’s heard it whether they liked to, or not. It’s a historic heirloom at this stage. It is used to remind people of the past. And because the past always is seen through those rose tinted glasses, it makes people feel at ease. Even the blues, a type of music centred around sadness can inspire comfort.
Julian Taylor’s “Running Away” is a very clever use of old American blues-rock sounds in a pop context. It’s pristinely recorded and masterfully brings to mind the all-so-glorious past. It uses nostalgia in the smartest way. It’s akin to seeing videos of astronauts landing on the moon or Michael Jordan making impossible shots. And because of that, it sounds like an ideal accompaniment to a big-time, old-time Netflix show. Make sure to play it over the opening credits.
Pat Berlinquette – Abigail
You’d like to think that pop songs will live forever. And how could you not? That would not offer a kind of immortality to the person who made the song but also to you, the listener who chose the song as their own. But, you must also be well aware of the fact that tastes change, history often doesn’t get properly preserved, and your taste in music may not just be that good.
But there’s hope yet. A song’s fame is unlikely to stay the same unless it was sung by Frank Sinatra or if it’s “Stairway to Heaven.” What we’ve seen, however, is that stories and melodies, for that matter, get recycled. In the U.S. blues tradition, the story of cruel, ol’ Stagger Lee may be retold. In Europe, it’s folk songs about Robin Hood-like characters that fought the law and almost never won.
Hearing Pat Berlinquette’s “Abigail” confirms that unless that meteorite finally starts taking its fate to destroy Earth seriously, beautiful 60s-esque melodies and writing will continue forever. Why? Because artists like Berlinquette will find it appropriate to tell their own stories of love, loss, hope, and despair. After all, this music is a perfect vehicle, and unlike what copyright lawyers may think, it is hardly anyone’s own. Berlinquette does well in keeping personal and universal stories alive.
