Artist Of The Week: Kodaline

Hello all!

Following the absence of this feature last week, due to the fact that it was a strange week, full of introductions to lots of different artists, but not really focussing in any of them. As such, I decided to forego for a week in order to focus my attentions on one artist at a time. Thus, I introduce to you, Kodaline!

   Formed in 2011 (after changing their name from 21 Demands), Kodaline is an Irish band with four members. Despite being classiffied as alternative rock, I would argue that they have more of a folky sound. They've only released one studio album but it is truly amazing.

   They're one of those bands that almost every song relates to me on some deeper personal level. From the album cover, which reminded me of the film Summer Storm (which hit me on a surprisingly deep level and was key to a significant revelation about myself) to the lyrics themselves, they just seem to know me. 'All Comes Down' was the first song I discovered, but I'll discuss that in detail later. After this, was 'All I Want', a truly beautiful, but sad song that sometime how manages to be uplifiting at the same time. The line If you loved me, why'd you leave me, kills me every time. It's also got a wonderful video that I adore and I must admit it almost, but not completely brought me tears.

   No, that honour goes to 'High Hopes'. This song is again that sort of melancholic hope, with some killer lyrics. This song's music video is also another thing of absolute emotional angst, with the guy who plays Ser Davos in Game Of Thrones and an ending that had me in tears. Literally, I didn't know that such a short video could move me so much, but this managed it. It's amazing.

   After this, I got a copy of the whole album, which introduced me to yet more Kodaline wonderfulness. The first track, 'One Day' is another of my favourites, because it again hit me on that personal level. It feels as though they're speaking to me, which is both painful and wonderful. Damn, I love that song.

   Anyway, on a less personal level is 'Talk' which is a sort of melancholy sadness about the end of a relationship, which looked perfect but failed. No, wait, that does speak to me, on so many different levels. I swear, listening to this album, it's life reading a biography. The album concludes on the marvellously uplifting 'Way Back When' which should be a graduation song. It's that sort of brillaince.

   And then, we're here, the one Kodaline song above all others is 'All Comes Down'. It was the first song of theirs I listened to and it spoke to me in a way that no other song had really done before. The line Why do I geel so odd, when I'm still so young, should be my catchphrase. I adore this song, because it both hurts and comforts me, like all good music should do.

Anyway, there's Kodaline. The band that hit me on a personal level, in a week filled with revelations and personal pain. There's something rather fitting in that, I think.

Thanks,

James