Niko's thoughts:
When I heard the very first guitar chord, I almost sang "Sitting in the dark...", the first line of Luna Keller's "Ray of Light". Almost. Yes, you're not dreaming, one of our wonderful writers released a song last week. A song that particularly touched us, because it evokes the recent loss of a loved one, which also happened to us. And our writer is not limited to writing wonderful reviews for IMC. He also delivers all his deepest and most sincere thoughts in his songs.
About the song, Joe said:
"We lost Alicia to cancer just before Thanksgiving. But before we did, she was surrounded by those who loved her. This is a song written at her request. It's about a small part of her life and those who loved her. The song was released on February 17th, Alicia's birthday".
We can say that Alicia can be very proud of the final result. This song is all you need when you're not sure how to deal with a lot of grief. A beautiful luminosity gives this track a touch of optimism, carried by a marvelous melody and a sparkling electric guitar solo. We promise we're going to play it very loud so Alicia can hear us from up there. Thank you, artist! You blew us away, once again.
Luna's thoughts:
I am always excited about a new Joe Pope release, he is a fantastic songwriter with a very recognizable sound. One of my favorite things about Joe is the authenticity behind his songs, they always feel meaningful and personal - and that makes them so magnetic to the listener. “Alicia’s Song” is a fantastic example of that, without knowing Alicia you can feel with the story and get a glimpse of who she was. It’s a really honest and heartfelt homage that doesn’t fall into any cliches.
Musically we get the signature Joe Pope guitar sound embedded in a wonderful moodiness. It’s a song that carries itself gracefully with an arrangement that builds slowly and keeps the focus on the story being told. There’s a beautiful nostalgia to the song, it feels like going through old photos with a bittersweet smile on your lips. And yes it is a song about loss, but it manages to walk the line between that heaviness and the joy of having shared some time on this blue planet with a wonderful person.
In the end, there can’t be loss without love - and this song is a testament to that. And not the cheesy kind of love, not the image of an angel. No, it paints the story of a real person with all their quirks and things that were loved, and will be missed.
Written with love by Niko & Luna. "Alicia's Song" has been added to our "New Indie Music" playlist on Spotify.