By Daffs (TwoDaff)
Emerging from the rain-sodden streets of Glasgow, Scottish four-piece NewTown bring a brand of upbeat indie pop to the fore. NewTown are David James (Vocals, Guitar), Kieran smith (Writer, Guitar), Rob Haggerty (Bass), Euan Mcalonan (Drums). Their music is the complete antithesis to the city from where they take their name. They take their influences from a variety of artists such as Kings of Leon, U2, Sam Fender and John Mayer.
Released on the 29th July 2022 ‘Sail Away’ is their debut release, it’s a perfect summer soul cleanser, it’s refreshing and filled with an infectious energy that shines throughout. “This song is about what everybody else thinks of your relationship. It’s about knowing some things are bad for you but you keep going back despite what others might think” explains vocalist David James. It’s filled with an air of optimism, love conquers all.
“Rippling, chiming guitars”
Right from the start there is a real atmospheric feel to it, the intro builds to a break before the rest of the band enter the fray, rippling, chiming guitars with the trademark ‘Edge’ style riffs add a real sense of drive to the proceedings. The mix is luxurious, its clean, deep sounding and the guitar melodies add a real sense of emotion.
The lyrics have real feel – good factor, the chorus really lifts you up and carries you away, delivered with a fantastic melodic vocal, “We’ll twist and turn into something only we believe and I see nothing but rainbows in my mind” and very accomplished in my opinion. For a debut single it’s a strong statement of intent, and a taster of what’s to come from these lads.
“A fantastic melodic vocal”
The mid-section lowers the pace a little, this is where the vocal really shines, backed by a deep velvety bass line, a hint of that U2-esque guitar and then a clean harmony “So sail away with me, F**k what the others see…” before everything kicks back in and takes you to the end.
“A deep velvety bass line”
All in all, this track has everything you need to lift you off the floor, its relatable, energetic and most of all uplifting, a real pleaser in my opinion. I think this will resonate with many people, no matter what you are going through, love will all. With the rest of the year shaping up nicely for them, including an appearance at King Tuts Summer Nights, a number of shows across the country, as well as an EP release on the horizon, it’s clear you’ll be hearing much more from them soon.
