Hereford, England. The Songwriter going by the moniker Last Night Watchman is completing the set up his small studio. An intimate, almost sacred space to record just some of the songs he has amassed. These are songs that have served as a kind of therapy, a creative source to contemplate darker times. A new Freedom. From this studio, Last Night Watchman has recorded and released five personal and resonate tracks that make up his recently released debut EP 'Old Blighty'.
Hitting play on the title track, this writer is instantly enamoured. This is intimate, authentic songcraft. 'Old Blighty', a take on colonialism, also perhaps serves as a metaphor for the songwriter's own experiences: "We've come far...we saved our sins for the Eastern stars,,.time has been undone, we've fought our battles never won...we carry on with our ordinary lives.." (paraphrased) - lyrically, the track is a soul laid bare. There is no pretension or abstract notion here; this is heart on the sleeve, classic storytelling. The acoustic arrangement gives the song room to breathe. The extra vocal at key points introduces an uplifting momentum that no instrument could muster.
'Footprints' is different. More instruments are introduced and here we have a dream-like quality. The vocal production demonstrates Last Night Watchman's comfort in experimentation. He certainly can't be accused of playing it safe. 'Fool's Prayer' brings things to a simpler level. The rhyming is obvious but that's the appeal of the song. The most personal song on the EP, this is a prayer to the Lord, and as Christ directed in The Bible, prayers should be free from hyperbole and straight to the point. The key change into the chorus is magnificent, and the melody that proceeds is breath taking.
A penny for your smile..Last Night Watchman brings a determined authenticity to his work
'Get The Best Out Of Life', inspired by a Readers Digest book from the 1950's, brings proceedings back up in energy. It is buoyant and features a great chorus sequence that is perfectly placed. The guitar solo works well too, helping to fill out the track into something altogether rounded. The EP closes with 'Towards The Sun'; another acoustic-led track with some beautiful percussion. This is a reflective song, from the perspective of someone coming home after a long day and shutting out the world. This is perhaps the lyrically strongest track on the EP and serves as an exceptional closer.
Last Night Watchman is not a newcomer to music. He has previously featured in the band The Noseflutes, alongside John Horton (aka Sven Vortex) who also appears on the EP here. In that band, they enjoyed success recording sessions for the BBC and releasing several albums. This 'Old Blighty' EP is a stunning collection of songs, made even more compelling if you listen with an era tuned for realism.
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