Long time, no music reviews. Sorry. But, I’m back with a song that is coming from the United Kingdom. London based band, Everafter, released their new song, “Last Boat To St Helena” in early August, but recently asked me to give my thoughts.
I don’t like to be given a lot of information about the band or their music because I much rather be surprised and give a clear, unbiased opinion. For some reason, I had in my head that this was going to be a real heavy song. I don’t know if it was the fact that the name of the band sounds like a heavy band, but I was definitely surprised to find out I was wrong.
The song has a fairly steady tempo throughout the entirety of the song, fast enough to keep your head bobbing. The acoustic, almost folk like, sound is really enticing as well. It reminded me of a classic folk tune with a modern twist. I would definitely suggest that if you are into that folk/traditional sound, that you check out this song. Its got what you need.
The melody is easy enough to catch on to and by the second chorus I found myself singing along. This is something that I find really important when it comes to releasing a single. You want your listeners to be able to sing along and you want it to be catchy enough that it sticks in their head.
One aspect that I really did enjoy was the bass line. For some reason, and this doesn’t happen often, I was intrigued by the bass line. I found it complimented the guitar on top and the main theme of the song. It really does help the movement of the song all together. This song does tell a story, which is another important aspect of a song in my opinion. I love songs that tell a story and are relatable to a vast majority of people. I feel it gives the listener something deeper to connect with. Although I’m not sure what the story is behind this St. Helena island, I was interested in looking it up and finding out. I would like to know the songwriters connect with the island.
One thing I would have wished to hear in this song would have been some type of change in tempo, key change, something that is a clear shift in the song. It did seem a bit “one note” (not literally obviously) but very consistent throughout the entire song. If there would have been a key change for a few measures, maybe for like a final chorus, or an acapella moment for a bridge or hook, then it would have given a bit more depth to the song.
Overall, its a solid song and I am looking forward to hearing more from this group!
Everafter’s debut album, produced by Chris Tsangarides, is available now on iTunes! Check out the song, “Last Boat To St Helena” and follow them on Twitter, if you like what you hear!