There are two signs by which you can know that a pop single is something that deserves your attention. One is that it really ticks all the boxes of the “pop single rules” – that is that it really respects the set formulas of a good dance single, ballad, hip-hop or any other genre. The other is that you really can’t put your finger (or ear) to what the artist is doing; it crosses genres but it still sounds good and has all the qualities of a great single. So, it is the latter sign, or signs if you will, that we get from Hannah Rooth and her latest single ‘Never Say Much (Louder)’. Why?
Well, Rooth comes up with a ballad that has all the qualities of such but also brings along a bit of a tempo. After all, a ballad has to be really exceptional to get the artist anywhere. It is the mastery of Grammy-nominated producer Christian Davis that makes the combination really work. Then, there are Rooth’s quite impressive vocals that are really hard to pin down.
Rooth has a voice that can remind you of a number of great singers within its four minutes or so of duration. It could be Amy Winehouse one minute, Nora Jones another, Adele the third. Actually, it could be all of three combined. It is no wonder these names come up to mind as Rooth herself lists the first two vocalists as the ones that really inspired as she was developing as a vocalist.
And then there’s the genre of the song itself. Is it just pop? Is it Americana? Is it something else? Whatever you want to call it it works and you simply forget the genre and enjoy it.
Based on this single, there’s much more to expect from Rooth and her music, particularly from her upcoming crowd-funded debut album Wild Hum.’But until then, there’s ‘Never Say Much (Louder)’ to enjoy. And yes, it is a ballad that you can actually play louder.
~Ljubinko