Dan Leigh
Whilst speaking to Jodie recently about the band, New Device, she also mentioned the side project of Dan Leigh, lead singer of the band. She was good enough to send through some details and tracks so we could check out what this side project was like! Please note that the tracks are reviewed in the order they came up in my docs here so don’t represent the actual order!
For Better Days opens with an inspiring line from Winston Churchill before shifting into a soft backing track overlaid with powerful yet restrained vocals, the whole mix adopting a pace which lures you in and makes you want to hear more, urging you to keep listening and suggesting that this is all building into something. Catchy and laid back, this is a track perfectly crafted for summer time, sitting out in the sun with a cool beer and friends. What I really liked about this track was how the music and vocals match each other perfectly, the vocals holding the strength and power whilst the backing music keeps everything laid back and chilled out – it’s a clever mix and works to make this is a successful track.
Full Flow adopts a deeper approach as it begins, opening with an acoustic line and moving into another laid back slow track, synth packing the track out to add an extra sense of depth to things. The vocals take on a Hoobastank/Incubus quality in this track, soaring over the backing music which moves from slow to frantic, all the time keeping a sense of emotional melody flowing and crafting another track which will happily go head to head with the bands it’s compared to. On My Feet follows much the same conventions, opening soft yet keeping the sense of catchiness running throughout it. This is quite possibly my personal favourite track from the selection, there’s just something about it which causes it to engulf you, drawing you in and making you listen harder, turning it up ever louder so you can appreciate every single element of it. Combining the guitar with a piano line once again creates a sense of emotion within the track, not as a noticeable thing but when you sit back and really listen, you realise this track is a story, it’s a commentary to a moment in life, and one which really stands out.
Poker Face (yes it’s a cover of Lady Goo Ga but stay with me here!) is a moment of pure genius, taking a track which is mass produced and caters for the new generation of aspiring pop starlets, and turning it into another soft and emotional acoustic track which could well have beaten the original in the chart race. This was a brave move taking a track like this, but he’s done it well and all thoughts of the original soon fade, leaving you with a deep set sense of satisfaction that someone has seen the light and crafted it into a wonderfully deep track. The End Of Hope (Is A Long Way To Go) soon awakens us from the chilled out amusement of Poker Face, launching us once again into an emotionally laden melee of guitars and string synths. The track is catchy, powerful and once again, massive in the sound it creates. This is another track which is going to accompany moments in life, causing memories to come flooding back and leaving you just sat, dumbfounded at how music can induce such an emotional change within you.
Closing with We’ll Be Lovers Tonight, there’s one last chance to witness first-hand how much of a sound one man and a guitar can craft. Soft, soothing and once again crafted for a live stage, this final track closes the selection for me but leaves me with a serious desire to get out to witness this live. Building to a crescendo throughout the track, this final hurrah almost showcases the sound Dan’s gone for and leaves you craving more, wanting to go back through it all over again.
What’s most striking throughout these tracks is the voice which Dan has, it’s sublime! Matching the likes of Incubus and Hoobastank in his ability to hit and hold high notes, this is the sort of music which you put on to kick back with friends to, or simply put on when you want some time alone. It’s perfect for sunny days, days when you want to remember and days when you want to forget, in short, it’s music for all occasions. Based on this, I think that Dan needs to seriously get his name out there, get some more recognition and then get this music out to people – you won’t be disappointed!
To find out more about Dan and his music, check out his Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave NIcholls
For Better Days opens with an inspiring line from Winston Churchill before shifting into a soft backing track overlaid with powerful yet restrained vocals, the whole mix adopting a pace which lures you in and makes you want to hear more, urging you to keep listening and suggesting that this is all building into something. Catchy and laid back, this is a track perfectly crafted for summer time, sitting out in the sun with a cool beer and friends. What I really liked about this track was how the music and vocals match each other perfectly, the vocals holding the strength and power whilst the backing music keeps everything laid back and chilled out – it’s a clever mix and works to make this is a successful track.
Full Flow adopts a deeper approach as it begins, opening with an acoustic line and moving into another laid back slow track, synth packing the track out to add an extra sense of depth to things. The vocals take on a Hoobastank/Incubus quality in this track, soaring over the backing music which moves from slow to frantic, all the time keeping a sense of emotional melody flowing and crafting another track which will happily go head to head with the bands it’s compared to. On My Feet follows much the same conventions, opening soft yet keeping the sense of catchiness running throughout it. This is quite possibly my personal favourite track from the selection, there’s just something about it which causes it to engulf you, drawing you in and making you listen harder, turning it up ever louder so you can appreciate every single element of it. Combining the guitar with a piano line once again creates a sense of emotion within the track, not as a noticeable thing but when you sit back and really listen, you realise this track is a story, it’s a commentary to a moment in life, and one which really stands out.
Poker Face (yes it’s a cover of Lady Goo Ga but stay with me here!) is a moment of pure genius, taking a track which is mass produced and caters for the new generation of aspiring pop starlets, and turning it into another soft and emotional acoustic track which could well have beaten the original in the chart race. This was a brave move taking a track like this, but he’s done it well and all thoughts of the original soon fade, leaving you with a deep set sense of satisfaction that someone has seen the light and crafted it into a wonderfully deep track. The End Of Hope (Is A Long Way To Go) soon awakens us from the chilled out amusement of Poker Face, launching us once again into an emotionally laden melee of guitars and string synths. The track is catchy, powerful and once again, massive in the sound it creates. This is another track which is going to accompany moments in life, causing memories to come flooding back and leaving you just sat, dumbfounded at how music can induce such an emotional change within you.
Closing with We’ll Be Lovers Tonight, there’s one last chance to witness first-hand how much of a sound one man and a guitar can craft. Soft, soothing and once again crafted for a live stage, this final track closes the selection for me but leaves me with a serious desire to get out to witness this live. Building to a crescendo throughout the track, this final hurrah almost showcases the sound Dan’s gone for and leaves you craving more, wanting to go back through it all over again.
What’s most striking throughout these tracks is the voice which Dan has, it’s sublime! Matching the likes of Incubus and Hoobastank in his ability to hit and hold high notes, this is the sort of music which you put on to kick back with friends to, or simply put on when you want some time alone. It’s perfect for sunny days, days when you want to remember and days when you want to forget, in short, it’s music for all occasions. Based on this, I think that Dan needs to seriously get his name out there, get some more recognition and then get this music out to people – you won’t be disappointed!
To find out more about Dan and his music, check out his Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave NIcholls