FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: THE JOY OF EX

I have often written about the joy of reconnecting with an artiste’s music after something of a break. Back in April 2017 I had the pleasure of reviewing Holly Macve for BestNewBands when she appeared at the austere church of St John on Bethnal Green in East London with the fine support of US troubadour Will Stratton. It was an occasion notable for the quality of both songwriting and performance and I’m pleased to say you can still read about it here.

Above photo of Holly Macve by Abbey Raymonde from the 2017 show. Photo below of Holly by Laura May Carter.

Two months later Holly Macve went on to release her debut LP Golden Eagle and followed it in 2021 with Not The Girl, though sadly the second album seems to have escaped my attention. So, after quite a hiatus, it was great to find news of a third record, Wonderland, in today’s Inbox. The album includes “Suburban House” a collaboration with Lana Del Rey which has previously amassed over 12 million streams on Spotify and the track I am featuring here, “Almost A Miracle.” A prodigious singer-songwriter from an early age, the Irish born, British raised artiste employs a vocal style that harks back to classic country music stars of bygone times coloured with contemporary tones.

“Almost A Miracle” celebrates the notion that there is beauty in accepting that good things do not necessarily last forever. “It’s what makes them special. Without the bad times the good times would feel sort of meaningless” Holly explains. Seemingly referencing a former long-term love, the song revels in the joy of ex. [Ah, that explains that questionable headline – Ed] Her response to “nothing lasts forever / not even the stars above” is “but that’s what makes it all worthwhile.” Seven years on from Golden Eagle, Holly’s voice has retained that classic country resonance, the melisma and more but it has taken on a further shimmer something akin to Lana Del Rey. The organic, leisurely instrumental backing and sinuous chord changes add to a fully immersive experience. Holly is back.

It was only August when we last heard a new track from Southend’s finest, The Trusted, and the prolific Southend-on-Sea fourpiece is back with another new single, which continues its proclivity for mixing things up musically rather than sticking within a narrow band of indie rock. I still struggle to work out why The Trusted is not already up there with its more feted, though often decidedly more average, contemporaries but have every faith that the Essex boys whose close friendship goes back to schooldays will make it big one day.

True to form, The Trusted’s new offering, “The Lightning”, strikes a different chord to its previous single, “Miracle Face, whose jangling guitars and vocoder effects pitched it closer to pure pop territory. The new song has a euphoria to it, an anthemic feel built on melody, soulful electronica, and grand choruses which complement its lyrical exposition of self-worth and ego in the eye of the mirror. Lead singer Tom Cunningham describes it as “a powerful reminder that within each of us lies a spark of brilliance—our very own bolt of lightning. Too often, we hold it back.” Listen to “The Lightning” and you get the sense that here is a band ready to liberate this energy and reach its full potential.

In contrast to the regular releases forthcoming from The Trusted this year, Surbiton via Bournemouth resident Alex Hall has been taking stock before emerging in June with a single he kept pretty low-key along with the new ID of City Limits. Ain’t no Nutbush to this city but perhaps the new moniker is a touch ironic. Alex may not be hot in the city right now but there is no limit to his invention when it comes to crafting high octane pop songs with a touch of nostalgia. [That’s enough cryptic song title references – Ed].

Maybe Alex has been looking intoThe Trusted’s mirror. The release of “Kryptonite” suggests that that under the guise of City Limits he is now ramping things up ahead of further releases. The upbeat song blends the intensity of The Weeknd with his own signature sound, fusing guitar and blasts of trumpet with synth stings and pulsing beats filtered by a one-man band powerhouse delivery. Its sheer urgency battles against the exploitable weakness of what seems to be a toxic affair. Kryptonite may not be great for Superman but it serves as a powerful metaphor in the world of City Limits.

Photo of Izzie Yardley

As you probably know by now, as one of the site moderators I am blessed with the task of listening to all the songs submitted weekly to Fresh On The Net, the independent music blog founded by Tom Robinson and ably helmed these days by Del Osei-Owusu. The range and quality of many entries and not least the songs chosen by readers as Fresh Faves, makes it hard to pick out which ones to feature here. I could easily fill this column each week that way. Time being at a premium today, so much so that I risk this becoming Fifty3 Saturdays, I will leave you with three faves of mine from the last fortnight that particularly resonated with me.

Somerset singer-songwriter Izzie Yardley charmed Fresh On The Net readers this week with the charming “Pull Back The Sea”, the title track from her EP which came out at the end of last month. I love the way Izzie combines folk tradition influences with jazz tones, adding strings and deft instrumental touches in the way a painter works with a landscape. The 6/8 time signature adds further distinction while her willowy voice simply glides through her stoic lyrics. One to have on your side, for sure. Check out the full EP on Bandcamp.

From Somerset to London where we find Hallworth, the label borrowed from singer-songwriter Hannah Lloyd’s grandmother’s maiden name. “One Day” is a song about jealousy and how spiralling into all those relationship ‘what ifs’ can be so destructive. Hannah exorcises the bittersweet bad stuff through her songwriting and makes a great job of it too. Her topline melodies are always on point and carried by a discreetly soft yet assured vocal. This song would comfortably fit in the canon of the likes of Soccer Mommy and points to a similarly upward trajectory for her songwriting career.

Finally this week, and still in London, we find Amilost, the international pairing of classically trained Norwegian vocalist and producer Sigrid Zeiner-Gundersen and Glaswegian drummer and co-producer Ross Craib. I first encountered the band last summer via its debut EP, Introspective Souvenirs describing it as an international meeting of musical minds. After a short break, Amilost has returned with a new single, “Tiny War”, which visits the familiar territory of relationship breakdown. The exhausting process of reaching the point when you simply must let go has scarcely been more eloquently realised than in the hands of Amilost.