Euan Blackman
Bad Things
Euan Blackman is a singer/songwriter based in Liverpool with 8 songs released and an impressive amount of monthly listeners. Dude appears to be completely DIY in the bedroom pop genre, and in doing so has captivated a solid sound to compliment his solid writing and vocals. Listening to his work you’ll hear snippets of John Mayer, the Perishers, and Nick Drake. His latest release, a 3-song EP called “Bad Things”, is bound to lead to bigger and better gigs, and more recognition in his native UK. Here’s our review of the title track.
Track starts with a nice little VO effect, a 2-/4/1/5 pattern on acoustic and a subtle four-on-the-floor kick pattern. Love how he starts his melody on the major third off the tonic - nice tension building with that trick, as well as creating an open feel despite the cluster of notes. Great example of less is more. His vocal tone is soft with a solid core - well rounded tone - and his pronunciation is clear. He keeps the verse simple and adds some very tasty backgrounds that add some nice depth to the track.
With the chorus, the melody expands out and I love his use of bending the three to get to the four. Great melodic hook and I’m enjoying the lyrics, too - it’s right in line with the genre. He does a fantastic job of adding just a few little details to the chorus to lift up the track just enough, but it’s the section right after this first chorus where the song really begins to shine. He brings in a brief harmonic solo as a transition into the second verse, which adds in a great bass line - nice and simple - as well as a few loops. By now you’re realizing that this dude really knows how to write and build a great track.
When the second chorus hits, everything continues to fall perfectly into place with just the right amount of build via additional instrumentation. The mix and EQ are absolutely gorgeous - very warm, very clear and perfectly balanced. The guitar solo that follows is textbook John Mayer, but I would have made the same choice. Absolutely love the tone, the phrasing and the note choice. The section that follows is a nice breakdown that highlights his voice and lyrical ability while reemphasizing the hook, despite the desperation and sadness of the lyrical topic. It sets the stage for the fade-out, a perfect way to end this song.
Absolutely love this track. Great hooks, production and a perfect example of less is more. Make sure you scroll down to catch his socials and other tracks on this project. Lyrically he often takes a dark path, which is part of the reason why I find his finished works so interesting. He hits on some very dark topics, but the keeps the music warm and inviting. Hard thing to pull off, but he’s got it dialed in. Beautiful work Euan, would love to see you over here in the States sometime!