Its 2020, you can be forgiven for resting on your laurels, taking things slow and ultimately getting stuck in a bit of a rut. Or you can take a leaf out of Max Stockins book, and just keep going. On 17th July, Max hit us with his 4th single of the year, nicely building up a back catalogue of toe tapping original work. “Confess” is a bittersweet song. A devil of a song dressed up like an angel. If you listen to the melody alone, you can’t help but sway gently side to side as the soft intro is joined by a gentle sounding drum shuffle and the country twang of guitar. However, the music takes second place when you start to listen to the lyrics and the track takes on a less laid back, but more sombre tone. A song about love unrecipricated by the story teller, the lyrics hit right through the heart as the singer sends out a message that the love felt FOR him, isn’t felt BY him.
Although not a personal experience, Max has tried to write a different spin on the classic love story, and his undisputed song writing talent has successfully achieved just that, with a message that would break any heart if on the receiving end. As the track goes on, the distinctive vocals make it clear there is no intention to hurt but he’s just not feeling the same, and as the song reaches its conclusion, a heartfelt declaration to listen to your heart and acknowledge the relationship is falling apart, accompanied with the same gentle caressing music to soften the blow. Music I can only describe as lounge music, almost “bedroom pop” , in the way that its impossible to imagine anyone not liking it. Its gentle, delicate and a somewhat soothing sound, that can easily slot into a number of genres without offensively screaming out of place.
All in all, it’s a classic easy listening track which was heavily inspired by Rex Orange County. As with most people who write, the verse of the song had been written for a while, lying around doing nothing, so it got picked up, dusted off and turned into what we hear today, which is “Confess”. The track can be found on all major streaming platforms, and if you head over to You Tube, you can catch the official lyric video which features art work from a few of Max’s followers, which just enhances this musicians passion to be a crowd pleaser with all he does. You can also find an acoustic version of the track online and if you follow his social media accounts, his online presence will keep you upto date with future projects and releases. Looking forward to more, as 2020 isn’t over yet..
By: Kate Ford