Simon Hirst - Single Review: No Turning Back
Hamilton Singer-songwriter Simon Hirst has released a new single No Turning Back. This is his first new material since the Feet of God collection from 2018.
Those familiar with the work on Feet of God will find recognisable elements here. This is mid-tempo guitar rock, with melody to the fore, impeccably polished through the recording and production process. Hirst takes direct input in this regard, with expert and experienced input from Pat Kuhtze on drums and Scott Seabright handling engineering and mixing.
No Turning Back opens emphatically with the key weapon in Hirst's armoury - his voice - which is in commanding shape and reminiscent, to these ears anyway, of Diorama-era Daniel Johns, which is really no mean feat. Throughout, it's the voice that dominates this song. Melody is such an important factor in this man's work. Not only is the melodic construction rock- solid, but the delivery itself, expressed through the dynamics, phrasing, range, and timbre make for maximum impact. There's that quintessential blend of melancholy with a yearning, upward-looking mood that evokes the very best of the pop-rock tradition.
An extra key element that shows an accomplished songwriter at work is the structure. The first chorus- and you’d best believe it's catchy- hits inside the one-minute mark, a cleverly constructed bridge happens at exactly the right point, and a well-crafted coda rounds off the shape of the song perfectly. No unnecessary repetition, and no wasted notes either.
This song feels like more of an assertive musical statement from Hirst than much of Feet of God and is fine work indeed.
About Simon Hirst
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