Today sees the release of the new Blue Nation single Old Friends exclusively via MetalTalk. The new song is a gentler, more reflective, warmer piece and one that provides the perfect soundtrack to an autumnal evening of catching up, reminiscing, and rejoicing in the company of one’s closest pals.
Blue Nation – Old Friends
Words: Sophie James
For those unfamiliar with Birmingham Powerhouse Trio Blue Nation, they comprise Neil Murdoch on guitar and vocals, Luke Weston on bass and Oli Jefferson on drums. Combined, they fuse such classic influences as The Beatles, Cream and Zeppelin with more contemporary inspirations such as Rival Sons and Vintage Trouble, plus a liberal sprinkling of ’90s Britpop.
I have had the pleasure of seeing Blue Nation perform many times, most recently supporting the extraordinary Chantel McGregor at KK’s Steel Mill. “A consummate performance of crunching blues-inspired rock,” I wrote, “so gloriously maintaining the traditions of the colossuses of the Sixties and Seventies while simultaneously engaging with the audience on an unsurpassed level.”
A soothing choir of birdsong precedes Neil’s gentle acoustic strumming before his wistful, gentle vocal materialises. The chorus kicks in with a crack and a refrain that gives the track that immediate feel of a boisterous singalong down a cosy hostelry. Luke’s rich, flowing bass boosts Neil’s acoustic, while their voices are in perfectly pitched, multi-tracked harmony.
“Old Friends help you survive. Take all the fear and just make it alright”.
Running parallel to that spirited bonhomie, the lyric also has a deeper, more heartfelt meaning, no doubt inspired by personal experience and a cause that is close to Neil and Luke’s heart. The wonder of music is that once it is out in the public domain, then it becomes each individual listener’s interpretation.
The latter segment orchestrations, punctuated by Oli’s staccato drumming, elevate the song to another level and hint at how far this could develop when performed live. It has the potential to work in any number of arrangements, from one acoustic/one voice to a full-blown symphonic power ballad and every level between.
Each time I heard this, I found the melody burrowing deeper into the portion of my brain that declares, ‘Only Great Songs Allowed Here.’
“Play it again, Sam”.
