A Soulful and Spritied Single from Johnny Murrell
A new single from Johnny Murrell just dropped, and this track gives off such an impactful, soulful vibe, bordering on gospel with certain backing vocals, impactful singing, and just thick, lush instrumentation that still gives it its rock backbone, but oozes soul from every note. And I don't just mean the vocals; I mean the instrumentation as well.
The performances across the board are absolutely outstanding. This is a track that feels cinematic, has a little bit of a vast undertone, comes through with a sort of righteous and uplifting vibe, and Johnny hits the mark, not just the way he sings, but his lyrics as well.
The track is called "May Gray, June Gloom", and he delves into such amazingly descriptive segments lyrically that you can pretty much paint a picture in your head as the song unfolds.
He talks about how the transition of seasons is upon him. The way it feels when the change happens, the things he wants to go and do, now that the rain is gone.
It's lyrically refreshing from start to finish. Again, such great detail and how he puts it out there and articulates those lyrics, and the whole song has heart.
At the root of the track is piano. This instrument is most certainly the driving force behind the rhythm and the tone of the entire thing. However, as the song opens up, you also have organs, guitars, live percussion, and so much more.
One of the things that hits hardest about this single is the energy level.
There's an immaculate balance between the vocals and the instruments. Everything seems to complement each other amazingly, and when it's all put together, you have this atmosphere that you're pulled into.
This is inspiring and spirited right from the get-go. It puts you in a great mood. If you listen to this track first thing in the morning, you'll probably feel great for the rest of the day.
The tone of his voice is inviting. The sentiment of the song is welcoming. This track is very feel-good, and I think that we need songs like this to kick off our days.
There are aspects of this track that make it almost feel like it was recorded live on the floor, all at once. It's got this live performance sort of aesthetic that is super infectious, as is the energy level in general, and the colorful soundscape it all produces.
When it goes through the verses, you get the story. You get the feeling that he's giving off because he's describing it. The change of seasons is a beautiful thing, and he's soaking it in for everything it's worth.
Something I think we should all do.
When it hits that chorus, it becomes almost overwhelmingly soulful. That's when the gospel-like vocals come in, filling up the background and wrapping around you, keeping you right where they want to.
You can sort of feel this in your bones.
He sings so much about being outside in nature that it makes you want to walk out the door right there and then.
I dig this because I like songs that make you feel something.
I feel like Johnny is giving a piece of himself in this track. A good piece. A positive piece of him and his personality. He's sharing that so that we can sort of join in on some of the joy that he's spreading with this music.
The drumming is absolutely killer. The drummer really just lets the song flow. It adds the drive right at the perfect moments, and the rest of the band sort of feeds off of that, and it all fits together like puzzle pieces.
This is an absolutely vivacious and, once again, soulful single. It makes you want to get up and sing along, which you probably will be doing by that last chorus.
I certainly couldn't blame you.
This single showcases a lot of warm emotion, and again, I feel like we all need songs that lift our spirits a little bit. This is a perfect example of one of those songs.
If you're not too familiar with the music of Johnny Murrell as of yet, then this is absolutely an amazing first track to introduce yourself to.
After that I would highly suggest checking out previously released tracks like "308 Bowery" or "Not That Bad, Yet", which both showcase a little bit of a different side to his personality but always has that character he delivers.
Taking a bit of a deep dive through Johnny's back catalog on Spotify is a blast.
He always bears a lot of soul in his performances, but this new single is the pinnacle of him really closing in on his sound.
It feels completely authentic, and you want to spread it around as soon as you hear it. You want to share it with everyone you know so that they can feel that energy and spirit themselves.
Do not miss this track, especially if you want to feel something from the music you're listening to.
Listening to it with headphones on is one of the best ways to go.
Dive into this one now and see how it affects you.
May Gray, June Gloom - Single by Johnny Murrell | Spotify
