With the acoustic scene already packed full to the point of overflowing, I’m occasionally guilty of dismissing the odd acoustic act as just ‘another Glumford and Sons tribute band’. Perhaps this is just cynicism, but every time I turn on my local radio station, I’m surrounded by “thoughtful” indie that’s awash with unplugged guitars, carefully groomed moustaches, and faux-Nashville charm. It all feels a bit… Well, a bit inauthentic, for such an “independent” genre. As such, coming into Heart’s Last Song, the debut album by South-Devon based musician Addie, I was not in the kindest of spirits. However, as soon as I gave the album a listen, I knew that I was wrong – this album was different. There would be no banjo. There would be no mandolin. And most importantly, there would be no pretension: just some good, old fashioned, truly honest independent music. If that isn’t an advert for always giving new artists a proper chance, I don’t know what is.
The album starts off with Hurricane, and it’s full of warbling, high-pitched lines of la-di-das that promptly set him apart from your average wailing indie-man. For a track of just one guy and his guitar, the sound is surprisingly powerful. Addie’s voice is sweet throughout, with just the right hint of a scratch when it’s necessary.
From the belter that is Hurricane, we transition into Heart’s Last Song, the record’s title track. It gives off the aura of Jake Bugg, mixed with some indeterminable factor of kind authenticity – less “breezeblock palisades”, more the seaside breeze of Addie’s South Devon. This song sets the pervading tone for the album. The whole thing has a sense of “kind authenticity” about it, truth be told. It’s unprocessed, refreshing… His voice is full of youth, and it’s great, not only for now, but as a promise for future records.
Heavy is without a doubt the record’s best song. An overarching melancholia harmonizes with the sweetness of its lyrics, to produce something really best described as “beautiful”, if you’ll forgive such a blasé term. With a delicate chorus that shows off Addie’s lovely voice, you’re immersed in the song as far more than a nonchalantly passive listener – you’re drawn in, and completely overcome by its beauty. In a way, it’s reminiscent of Imogen Heap’s famous ‘Hide and Seek’ – so beautifully full of emotion, so mesmerizingly heartfelt that it takes you until the end to notice there’s no percussion, no bass. A great song is one that doesn’t just make us feel something, but moves us. A great song makes those feelings inadequate, and you long for the day or the person who will turn you into its personification, even when it’s a song of misery. Heavy is just that. The wonderful thing is, all the production values and studio musicians at one’s expense couldn’t matter less when you mean what you play. Addie always means what he plays. This song is universal; its tone speaks louder than any idiosyncrasy or detail. While a lot of British artists don’t transition well across the pond, this song in particular is one that I can see my friends here in Toronto listening to all summer.
Overall, Heart’s Last Song is a solid debut album with a few catchy summer tunes, and one great standout track. For an album with only eight songs, that’s definitely decent. With a bit of time and age, we hope Addie can join the successful acoustic ranks of Jake Bugg, Frank Turner, City & Colour, and of course the king of folk, Mr. Bob Dylan himself. But one word of advice – even they allow themselves drummers. With the inclusion of a rhythm section, we at One on One are even more excited to hear Addie’s sophomore record. Personally? I’m excited for when he gets big enough to tour North America and Canada – we like good music too! Just please, never buy a banjo.