Rosaleen - Blown Away By Giants
It’s a bright and sunny day in Manchester and, with the barbeque and dad-shorts out, we are well in-need of a summer soundtrack to distract us from the strange reality we find ourselves in. Blown Away By Giants dropped their throwback track right in our collective laps in the nick of time, as Rosaleen washes away our worries and replaces them with a calm sea breeze. With this track Giants aim to take you back to a more peaceful time, when life was simple and you could focus on enjoying the love of the world. Speaking of enjoyment, the single is out on streaming sites now so go have a listen before I take you any further.
Countryside Composition
The track is bursting with positive energy. The major chord progressions give it an upbeat, refreshing vibe and from my first listen I found myself drawing stylistic parallels with the likes of Hozier, especially from the vocals. The guitar-work on Rosaleen is primarily acoustic and hark back to when the singer/songwriter duo Jordi Shevlin and Chris McGuiness both lived in Ireland. This folky feel remains throughout the song – the guitars are backed up by a mix of almost-gospel backing vocals, percussion and eventually a full drum kit - however the subtle electric lead and bass give way to their more modern indie influences. This can be heard in full force as the bridge really picks up in pace and texture, building more on the sunny feelings by adding an element of bounce and energy, making what could have been a simple song diversify its dimensions.
The Honesty in Controversy
As the name suggests, the lyrics tell a typical summertime love story and, before the Chris Martin-esque lead into the middle eight, I found that the focus was pinned more on the layers of vocals rather than the lyrics themselves. It’s not a song about the sea levels rising or the intertwining of selfish politics and the poverty-stricken world, but a sonnet. As a writer and creator myself I tend to enjoy digging into ambiguous meanings and music is one of the best forms of metaphorical and esoteric protest.
Originally I was going to make a comment on the fact that, lyrically, the song doesn’t break any boundaries, however, there always comes a time when we have to lay down our guns, put the powder out and enjoy the fresh air and the sound of nature. If this lockdown has taught me anything, it’s that nature and peace take over when the industrial agendas of humanity grind to a halt. The water is clearing, the air is suddenly more breathable; maybe it is time we accept that not everything in our lives has to be busy or profitable to provide some kind of progress towards selfish careers. To me, Rosaleen is a song about casting away those aspects of life and the criticism of the industry, and is instead about creating something beautiful and free: the very heart of folk and country.
A Change of Scenery
I sometimes struggle to comment on music from more mainstream, pop and indie veins because I’m so used to digging into the metaphorical pit of despair that is rock and metal, but Giants have done such a good job in every aspect of the track that it has made it even harder to fault or dissect. The mix is soulful and gratifying, the instrumentals are slick and satisfying and, waking up in the early afternoon with my skylight drenching my room in golden sunlight when I first listened, the feel was so perfect. The song does everything it needs to and nothing more and it is a perfect example of how music can be so different while still producing the same results. I’d argue that Rosaleen is the highest quality single that I have reviewed so far and you can listen to it now on any good streaming site. Thank you very much to Jordi for getting in-touch, I really enjoyed this review because it challenged me to think outside the box as it isn't in my list of usual genres. If you want to work with me or want to discuss what I do, get in touch! I don't bite and I am safely quarantined an contagion free.
