One of the simplest, but most incredible, joys in this life (in my opinion) is being reminded of an old song you once loved, but have since forgotten about. I doubt any of you would try and fight me on that but if you were about to, it’s not worth it I promise you; I can and will speak for hours about the significance of songs we loved serving as reflections of the time period in which we loved them, serving as reflections of who we were when we loved them. To have a song slip from your memory only to be heard again years later is like finding a time capsule you don’t remember making, and it brings with it so much of the years between. It’s just a really beautiful thing.
When I was 15 I was sent a song by a friend, by this band called Rainbow Kitten Surprise. I won’t go into the details but this song holds incredible meaning to me, even still now, 7 years later. It simultaneously sparked a love of their music that spanned until I was about 18, when they fell victim to my extensive no longer played Spotify history. Fast forward to last week, I was combing through some submissions when I clicked on a song called Broken English by Eddie Berman – and I was immediately struck by it’s assimilation to a sub-genre of folk music which pairs simple, but strong, guitar with abrasive and honest vocals, it’s something incredibly unique and something I really wanted to talk about on here.
RKS is another band that falls into this type of music, their songs range topically but all carry the same feel. You could also argue that Catfish and the Bottlemen’s acoustic stuff also fits into this area, and I heard it again with Eddie Berman.
Berman’s vocals are so incredibly unique, utilizing a strict tempo and refraining from elongating the ends of his words, creating almost another beat with just his words. The song itself is sharp and strong and gives you the feeling of immense honesty beneath the words. This link I can’t really explain, I just feel it. Whilst the instrumental is quite simplistic, there’s great work embedded within it all. Referencing Bon Iver’s earlier work (For Emma) there’s quite a few electronic noises that fade into the background, there just to add to the intricate framework of this simplistic seeming song, not to overpower or be at the fore. Overall, the way this song has been constructed and executed is incredible, it’s a great listen and a really great nod to a sub-genre of folk that absolutely has my heart.
– About The Author –
Sienna Filipetto
Sienna is an Australian musician who made the move to London last year. She’s developed a massive love for the UK music scene and has recently become the first person apart from Kevin to write on The Sound Sniffer blog. She’s got wicked taste in music and is super chilled.
– About ‘The Sound Sniffer’ –
The Sound Sniffer is a music blog that’s still only a baby – Founded in early 2019 by Kevin Coakley, a music writer and ghostwriter. ‘The Sound Sniffer’ also runs gigs and showcases in London since Oct 2019. The showcases are picked from artists found in the blog’s submission inbox.
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