DANCING YEARS

‘Here’s To My Old Friends’ is a very faint song indeed, as delicate and as beautiful as some summer flower but as powerful and all consuming as hemlock. It builds up from a small acoustic guitar riff accompanied by some light piano, into a commanding folk ballad that grips you by the heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB50VysST5g&w=640&h=480

It would appear reminiscent of an early Laura Marling song, alongside ‘Brown Trout Blues’ by Johnny Flynn & the Sussex Wit, nevertheless it upholds a whole originality of its own conveyed in the passionate vocals, the truly infectious cello which will have you humming the song for the rest of the day. The instrumentation and arrangement really carry this song, and there placement within the song; from the piano to the drums to the cello, really show this – it’s done flawlessly, and builds to a near-perfect dramatic climax that makes you feel it. If you haven’t heard of Dancing Years you very soon will do.

Words by Scott Houghton

Tip courtesy of Chris Hokran