Toby Poynter - The Comeback (song review) |self-released, single, 2016| 5/5 alt-rock
Toby Poynter lives for music and expresses his pure soul by making
emotionally charged, rhythmic songs. When you screen his past
music-related achievements, you'll spot that he feels about writing and
performing alt-rock songs the best these days, yet he listenes to all
kinds of music - from The Beatles to Bon Iver. Therefore, he didn't shy
away from playing grunge and funk with a few other bands back in the
1990s.
'The Comeback' was recorded in Sweden and is an alt-rock track speaking
of a love relationship's end. The author gave the song a light, romantic
mood despite of the theme - which, when personally experienced, may
turn some people to grieving. The vibe gives the idea of a diplomatic
farewell, not followed by hating, bullying, and burning bridges.
Technically, there no sneaky intro here, but the verse comes in
instantly after a short, buzzy guitar riff. A rhythmic bass line and a
drum beat join the guitars - the latter sounds dirty at times for a good
reason, considering some old good grunge references. The melody
instantly roots itself in your brain thanks to the track's catchy
pop-based chorus: "Don't come back anymore", which repeats quite
often and is supported with male backing vocals. Toby's voice is
characteristic, at times raspy, at times high enough to handle the
required pitch. He's a self-taught singer and composer - his voice might
be influenced by voices of the original grunge scene - Eddie Vedder
(Pearl Jam) or Chris Cornell (Soundgarden). It's also noticeable that
Poynter's singing had improved a lot since the 90s thanks to many years
of practice.
The unquestionable strength of his music - the songwriting - allows Toby
for expressing the call of his heart. The composition here was
thought-out carefully with all possible parts filled by matching
arrangements, and never choking on anything. The arrangements sound
memorable, however not unique - they were fitted for the vibe loved by
alt-rock aficionados, though they do make this song tight and vital
overall, thanks to their placement. Even the ending moment doesn't weigh
the track down as it sounds just as one could only wish it to be - the
rhythm, instruments, and arrangements gradually stop.
'The Comeback' is one of the Poynter's newest productions. It seems to
be a candidate for a fuller tracklist of a yet-to-be released album;
make sure you follow Toby on Facebook
to get fresh updates about his recording process. The song is a
potential hit, and is already being played on various radio stations.
Obviously, certain demographics and entertainment branches are on a
lookout for such a vibe, but it depends on how the author wishes to have
his song used. It's a necessary part of a healthy mind to release an
emotion out of one’s heart sometimes, yet it won't hurt to reach out to a
larger audience and get paid for your creative skills turned into
making others feel good. Finally, do watch 'A New Beginning' - his
other, professionally recorded music video single available on YouTube.
(Reviewer: Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, December 4th, 2016. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)
Source: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=587
SoundCloud | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
Buy on: Bandcamp| Spotify | iTunes | GooglePlay
Reviewed by Fabryka Industrial Rock & Metal Encyclopedia