Wednesday, June 23, 2021

James Leonard Hewitson Stuns With His Latest Single – And Not Just Temporarily!



Released on the 2nd of June, ‘Temporary Values’ is the latest offering from the Hartlepool native, James Leonard Hewitson. ‘Temporary Values’ is the first single to be showcased from his highly anticipated EP, ‘Commercial’.  

‘Temporary Values’ begins with an exciting guitar riff, followed by a quick and hard run on a snare drum. Immediately the track gains traction, ramping up and drawing you in, except you soon realise that the thrilling riff runs throughout the entire chorus and verse.

It is an undeniably interesting, energetic indie-rock riff that creates a great basis for each line James delivers. The only factor holding this track back from being entirely excellent is my personal desire for some alternative drum fills, or another instrument alongside the verse or chorus to truly differentiate the two.  

Throughout the accompanying music video, James is filmed singing each line with a face full of monotony – consistently emotionless in greyscale. The video and song simultaneously create a sense of enticing artistry, which is exactly what Hewitson’s lyrics describe, “Take a picture of yourself / Tell someone you’re something else”.

‘Temporary Values’ is far removed from other parts of Hewitson’s portfolio, which tends to lean towards an indie sound, with songs like ‘Dance Track – which I personally found more enigmatic, and better in terms of flavour, tempo, and James’ vocal style. Yet, ‘Temporary Values’ is the product of his fervent exploration of different soundscapes, and I certainly desire more of it.  

The breakdown towards the end of the track stands out, building up and delivering excellently as James intertwines with his drummer, Jack Wait. In an instant, the track transitions from a mundane tone to a post-punk-esque breakdown – similar to the style of bands such as Shame and Document. This is certainly an aspect of James’ writing I’d love to see more of in his upcoming EP, ‘Commercial’.

Temporary Values’ is a great find and certainly worth exploring, alongside the rest of James’ portfolio. As an artist, James is constantly exploring, improving, and evolving. I am certainly looking forward to his upcoming EP – and you should be too!

 

Reece Ritchie

@reeceiain

Image: Provided by PR

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