Oliver James - The Hardest Part
PREMIERE | OLIVER JAMES RELEASES HAUNTING ‘THE HARDEST PART’
San Diego-based pop-rock artist Oliver James premieres “The Hardest Part,” on Rawckus. The song is the title track from James’ imminent EP, releasing November 29 on Wire and Wood Recordings.
Oliver James
The EP encompasses four-tracks revealing the delicate complexity and subtle hesitant side of falling in love. James explains, “As human beings, we’ve all experienced the immense highs and tremendous lows of falling in and out of love. I think these songs speak to all of us.”
Wonderfully wrought, the songs exhibit vast sonic depth enhanced by layers of pedal steel, brass, and a string orchestra, reflecting James’ concept of music: “Good music should give the listener a feeling of belonging and should underscore the good times and sooth the bad times,” James says. “And both times are important....Like Brian Eno says, ‘There can be no flowers without fertilizer.’”
The band’s genesis occurred when James and Brett Levine hit it off, connecting over a mutual love for ‘70’s television, cutting tongue-in-cheek humor, and red wine. Merging their distinctive songwriting talents, they released their debut album, recorded at NYC’s Magic Shop, while their following releases were recorded at San Diego’s Pacific Beat studio.
Similar to a musical prayer, both intimate and heartfelt, the delicious velvety movement of the harmonics exudes a gracious field of gorgeous suppressed energy.
By 2017, the band comprised six members and was playing full-time, simultaneously racking up beau coup streams of their music and views on YouTube.
“The Hardest Part” opens on elegant melancholic strings flowing into luminous gently gleaming textures topped by James’ creamy haunting voice. Low-slung yet rife with lush fragile textures, the melody blends pop and symphonic surfaces into softly radiant music trembling with elusive opulent-lite colors.
Emerging vocal harmonies infuse the nostalgic lyrics with suffusing echoes and tender coloration, akin to tantalizing wisps of recollection. Similar to a musical prayer, both intimate and heartfelt, the delicious velvety movement of the harmonics exudes a gracious field of gorgeous suppressed energy.
Beautifully haunting, “The Hardest Part” is a confection of pure elegance tumescent with alluring textures and wistful vocals. This is certainly one of the most exquisite songs of the year.
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