Single review : AUDIO 54 – Good To Me
Bandcamp [Release date : 19.10.24]
‘Good To Me’ is the latest stand alone groundbreaking single release from the Audio 54 stable.
Leicester born singer, songwriter and musician Craig Marshall has quietly, but confidently emerged as an innovative producer who fashions interesting arrangements, sculpted sounds and deftly used samples, drop-ins, echo reverb etc, to bring to life loosely defined concepts, which become clearer as the song progresses.
He has successfully applied his craft to fellow Leicester bluesman Mick Pini’s back catalogue and new work, giving him a much broader and more interesting musical palette.
He has similarly worked with an array of singers, giving them different musical contexts from what they are normally used to.
The same processes are at play here. Built on the rhythmically strong foundation of a pounding bass and feverish wah-wah inflected rhythm guitar as part of gospel tinged groove, ‘Good To Me’ could be regarded as contemporary dance friendly alt.world music.
It opens with a slightly distorted lead vocal punctuated by startling metallic sounds and vocal samples, over shifting jagged electronic beats and an insistent funky undertow.
The slight distortion on the lead vocal and the subsequent lack of clarity of diction pushes our attention to the intricately layered track.
The song feels like a detailed audio musical journey with an inherent filmic quality. It celebrates the wonder of our surroundings and the spontaneity of human interaction, while inviting us to rediscover our joie de vivre.
It barely stays still long enough to gives us time to digest what’s going on. In fact at the 2 thirds mark, it’s the lyrics give the song some further momentum: “Oh You made a way and I thank you, Save Me, You opened up doors and I thank you.”
And as it moves purposefully towards a belated resolution with faux strings, muscular horn stabs and a repeated vocal hook, you almost float along contentedly.
The subtle melange subliminally taps into the subconscious deep enough to get the feet moving, put a smile on our faces and then, as if under hypnosis, suddenly drops away to leave a void which only a musical anecdote like this can fix.
There’s also an accompanying and very creative video from Dave Larder, which shows just how subjective an appreciation of music like this can be.
The fact the song draws on the disco staples of funk, soul and r&b and adds jazzy hip-hop and similar soulful touches within a world music and gospel setting, teasingly pushes it beyond easy definition
But then, who said good music should always be easily definable. Hendrix laid that theory to rest years ago.
****
Review by Pete Feenstra
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
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UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 19 November 2024.
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