Single Review

Lloyd Yates – Bring Back The Life

29th Jul 2013

One of the most individual voices we’ve heard for a long time, Lloyd Yates is from the Channel Island of Jersey. Bring Back The Life is his debut single and so far seems to be serving as a weighty introduction to this intriguing new artist.

Obviously growing up by the sea made it’s mark on Yates as he speaks of a desire to ‘connect’ with the sea through surfing both at home and travelling around the world. Before you start reaching for the Hippy Panic Button, take a listen to his clawing, strained vocals and you start to realise there’s more than a saccharine singer-songwriter beneath the surface, a darker side emerges than is present in contemporaries like Newton Faulkner and Jack Johnson.

They say still waters run deep and there’s more of Tom Waits and Alexander Ebert about Yates’ music than anything else he might be unfortunately and dismissively compared to. There’s also a deliciously tip-of-the-tongue hazy memory of Eagle Eye Cherry’s enormous chorus melody from Save Tonight nestled in this song that’s close enough to make it an instant repeat-reacher but not so cheese laden that you’ll be turning it off again straight away.

We like you Lloyd, go easy on the surf-dude angle and we’ll get along just fine.