Our Song of the Day is a track premiere from Cameron Blake and is taken from his forthcoming album Alone On The World Stage. As a solo singer with just guitar he harnesses a very striking and emotive power, both through his prose-like lyrics and his delivery which carry the weight of those words. He has an immediacy that’s impossible to ignore. Whilst he admits the process of “playing solo and writing songs that can carry without added instrumentation” has been a learning curve there is no denying the strength of his talents as both a singer and a songwriter.
This can be clearly heard on Detroit on which he sings about a broken woman. The verses carry strong imagery and I can see why references are made to songs of protest in his press release. He’s not pointing the finger but he’s raising stories from the corners many of us would rather ignore.
“This one’s for the butcher on the row
Who always wipes his chop board twice as slow
When the angel with the pipe and the high cheekbones
Presses her face against the glass of his shop window”
Whilst protest songs of the past still carry a powerful message to young protesters of today there is a question hanging over the future of the form as noted by Dorian Lynskey in her book 33 Revolutions per Minute – A History of Protest Songs. Cameron Blake’s songs touch many points of reference, and whilst he can share the very personal he doesn’t shy away from the global theatre. From songs rejoicing in his unborn daughter (Ultrasound) to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Rise and Shine).
“Every night before I wrote,” he says, “I had a mantra I would repeat to myself: You have everything you need to write a great song- a brain, a heart and a pencil.” Not a truer word spoken.
Alone On The World Stage is released on March 16th 2015 via Silver Slant Records.