Humble Francis - “Last Call”
“Last Call,” by Humble Francis, is a moving and heartfelt song that guides listeners through loss and grief. The song, however, is wrapped up in a lively upbeat musical arrangement. Before the song’s powerful rhythms and pulsating bass arrive, it opens with synth pads and telephone foley that set the scene.
The synths form the melodic lines for the majority of the song giving the song a 1980s feel. The track gains a depth from the fuzzy, distorted guitars that are added later on. The reoccurring dial tone foley is used quite cleverly as a rhythmic component, making it less of a sound effect.
Vocally, the song alternates between a filtered sound during the verses and a clean, unfiltered performance over the chorus sections. This ties the sound to the lyrics perfectly. The lyrics are stirring and sincere, conveying a message of hope and fortitude in the face of loss. They were inspired by Humble Francis’ own experience of losing his father and the last telephone call between them.
“Last Call” is a an emotionally charged piece of music full of great synth pop tones. I definitely think this is one to check out.