Up and Comers Music

To truly capture a feeling through a song, the artist needs to bring together a variety of key ingredients: tone, lyrics, playing style, and rhythm must all be in sync. The Communal Well manage to do just that in their track “Hard Times” off the latest album “Willow”. A reflective tune looking back at a relationship between two people who just never saw eye to eye, “Hard Times” really captures the feeling of struggling through an inherently flawed partnership. 

From the perspective of tone, lead singer and songwriter Roger Hoeberichts develops a particularly warm, tape-like tone in this song that is present throughout The Communal Well catalogue and feels like part of his signature sound. There is a lush yet understated timbre in Hoebericht’s vocals, acoustic guitar, and the accompanying textures that all feel truly fitting for the tender subject matter here in “Hard Times”. 

No less fitting are the playing style and rhythm of the band. A free-wheeling harmonica dances about at various moments in the track, and an acoustic guitar is strummed with a sense of ease. The rhythm section consists of a bellowing bass and a lightly brushed drum kit that underpins the gentle sway of it all. Each of these elements establishes the laid back nature of the song in a way that feels purely Americana. 

Overall, “Hard Times” is a track where every musical ingredient melds together in a cohesive and ear-pleasing manner. To match the sentimental and delicate subject matter of the song, the band bring together a warm tone, unhurried rhythm, and relaxed playing style. In doing so, they capture the essence of a feeling that isn’t always easy to grapple with. 

Stream “Hard Times” here and follow The Communal Well on Instagram to catch their latest releases. 

Follow the Up and Comers playlist for more emerging music discoveries.