Making the most of his downtime from Frank Turner’s the Sleeping Souls, Nigel Powell AKA – The Sad Song CO. – has spent the early part of 2018 touring and promoting his fourth album Worth out 9 February 2018. His second taste of the new album, I Don’t See It, is released as a YouTube video exclusive on 31st January.
Watch the video below!
I Don’t See It is the optimistic heart of Worth. Initially sparse, Nigel’s voice is the lead instrument setting a buoyant melody upon shy electronic notes. His patient words tell of a friend’s need to vent before Nigel admits to optimism, reflected by a shimmering chorus. Support and encouragement join instruments and handclaps, and a bassline gets adventurous, echoing the lift in mood.A heavy synth arpeggio drives through the hopeful outro, with full rumbling percussion building the song through its final burst of understanding.
The Sad Song Co.’s fourth album Worth is full of unexpected musical turns, a blend of heartfelt positivity and the self-analytical struggle. I Don’t See It is one of the album’s strongest tunes and simplest arrangements which avoids compromising Nigel’s evocative sense of atmosphere.The video, featuring Nigel mouthing the words in shadow, is a perfect visual mirror of this simplicity of form and complexity of mood.
Nigel released third album in amber in November 2016, a successful crowd-funded return to solo songwriting nine years after 2007’s Poignant Device while continuing to be in bands and making his living on the road.An album dealing with stories around an old people’s home, it showcased a side of the man that most new fans had yet to see.
Worth strikes while the iron is hot, capturing his current embracing of change and needing to grasp the good things while they last.’When I wasn’t getting time to make albums of my own I would get quite frustrated and depressed in that situation because I didn’t have an avenue for expressing myself the way I really wanted to do it,’ explains Nigel. ‘So coming back to The Sad Song Co. has been a very positive thing for me.’ Worth sees Nigel’s productivity in overdrive, further developing his craft to incorporate new sounds and complex shifts in dynamics.As you soak in twists and turns like these, it ends up being the undeniable pop suss that leaves you reeling and enriched.