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WROTE FOR LUCK

ARCADE STATE

 

Wrote For Luck – ‘Hard To Grow’ – Not for this band

 

Hello dear readers…How are we all…? Tony The Cat here, the Listen Up Music Collective’s reviewer in chief, with this week’s instalment of Wrote For Luck - a weekly review of the best new and exciting music around.

 

This week I was lucky enough to get an early listen to the new single from undoubted future Glaswegian alt-pop rock superstars, Arcade State. With enough material already to release what would be one hell of a debut album, ‘Hard To Grow’ will be this hardworking bands 11th single release in an ever expanding catalogue of absolutely bangin’ tunes.

 

I’ve mentioned this before, but one of the most rewarding things about doing what I do is that it affords me the opportunity to observe the progression and evolution of talented new and upcoming bands that I know have the potential to go onto bigger and better things. It’s true that some bands just have ‘it’, whatever ‘it’ may be, and Arcade State are definitely one of those bands. They are on such a rapid upward trajectory that you can’t help but feel proud of them and what they are now beginning to achieve…with each and every new track they release, you can actually sense an increasing depth, maturity and resonance in the music they are creating…and there seemingly is no end to their development. They are a band that really are coming into their own, forging their own signature sound and they already sound so accomplished that you would think that they have been playing together for years.

 

Arcade State are so consistent in making massive, harmonically symphonic tunes loaded with emotion that you wonder just how they are going to better their previous release. But somehow, they keep managing to do just that. ‘Hard To Grow’ is another huge, chorus driven anthem that is destined to become a staple of their live sets in the future.

 

The song opens with one of the most delightfully hummable guitar hooks I’ve heard in a long while…from then on, you are almost magnetically drawn into the melody of the song by a beautifully paced drum beat, perfectly weighted bass line and expertly judged keys performance. When Ciaran Murray’s distinctive and instantly recognisable lead vocals kick in you are so well and truly into this song that the next 3 and a bit minutes pass fleetingly quick. Yet the song itself continues to linger in your head…I found myself singing “Hard to Grooooow” to myself long after the song had finished.

 

The band themselves are so watertight on this single, demonstrating once again such a cohesive togetherness, that at times, you can barely differentiate the separate instrumental sections of the song. It truly is a fantastic track and definitely one of my favourites of this year so far. You can already envisage this song becoming a frenzied, foot stomping encore at the end of their live sets …‘Uh Oh Uh Oh Oh Oh’ ringing out amongst the crowd long after the gig has finished.

 

Arcade State are rapidly becoming one of my favourite bands, it surely can only be a matter of time before their potential is acknowledged and a record label picks them up. Another job well done fellas. Keep up the hard work.

 

Much love

 

T.O x

 

Hard To Grow is out on 16/06/22 – be sure to get your ears around it and show the lads some love on their socials!

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