There’s a paper thin line between folk and pop; one that disgruntled hipsters will undoubtedly argue over the placement of until the end of time.
Up until Bon Iver was nominated for a Grammy late last year, many would have categorized his sophomore record under the aforementioned dreaded ‘f word’ (others also would have used a similarly sounding ‘f word to describe it’), now it appears the backlash has well and truly kicked in. The same walkman carrying, beret wearing, new music junkies who initially branded Bon Iver the new Nick Drake, are now choosing to compare Vernon to a lesser Phil Collins; a fairly stark change of heart.
One such artist who finds the pop-folk balance in a gracious and thoroughly engrossing manner is Newcastle troubadour Ajimal, the moniker of Fran O’Hanlon. With a concoction of influences so spotless that Walter White himself would envy it’s make up, O’Hanlon’s latest single Footnote To Love [Part One] is a stunning culmination of his life journey to date. Impeccable vocals float wonderfully over a amiably strummed acoustic guitar, at times threatening to open out into a broad, expansive number, yet remaining modestly self-knowing, entrusting itself into O’Hanlon’s nigh on perfect delivery and deeply personal lyrics.
As Footnote To Love [Part One] demands repeated listens due to it’s sheer beauteous atmosphere, B-side Amputated Years pleads despairingly with the listener to be experienced again. A more subdued number, but no less effective, Amputated Years is worthy of a single release in it’s own right, not so much striking a nerve as cutting directly to the core. ‘Oh and how we’ve changed, how we’ve changed my love’ weeps O’Hanlon in a reassuringly disconsolate fashion, displaying his music as all too human, yet bewitchingly supernatural.
Footnote To Love [Part One] / Amputated Years is released 19 March via Pop Sex Ltd, purchase it here.