Devon born singer songwriter Josh Bray releases this single ('Rise') in anticipation for his debut album Whisky and Wool. The album received its title during a session with legendary producer Howard Gray (Van Morrison, U2, The Cure). Recording during this year’s vicious winter in a barn on abandoned farmland, Bray states “the equipment was fantastic, but it was freezing cold… we resorted to woolly jumpers and whisky to keep us warm.”
This quote perfectly encapsulates Rise. It’s flawlessly recorded with an understated lushness that recalls Coldplay’s A Rush Of Blood To The Head. This influence is obvious in the subtle lead guitar lines that creep in unnoticed but provide some much needed depth. However, these can’t help a song that fails to get its feet off the ground.
Maybe it’s the vision of the band huddled together in an unforgiving winter barn but there’s something noticeably stilted about the performance. While there’s a captivating quality about Bray’s relaxed delivery that certainly places him above the over-earnest thrashing of Mumford & Sons, when you’re dealing with lines such as “rise up to your feet, let your soul be complete”, if there’s an ounce of uncertainty in there, the whole thing lacks conviction.
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That said, it’s always great to hear a single written in 6/8 time. Rise shares a passing resemblance to a folked-up Daysleeper by REM in that respect but unfortunately lacks the chorus to make it more than a mood piece. In the context of an album that should have a constant atmosphere and feeling due to its recording methods, Rise might make perfect sense. However as a stand-alone piece it fails to truly hit the mark.
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