Hayden Calnin - “If It’s Time”
Photo: Bri Horn
It is with great pleasure that we welcome indie folk craftsman Hayden Calnin back on the blog with his new track, “If It’s Time.” Calnin has such a reputation for writing great songs that we knew this one would be featured on UpToHear before we even UpToHEARD it.
Unlike most of the folksy songs that come through here, “If It’s Time” appears to be driven more by its rhythm section than the tried-and-true acoustic guitar, but that is not to say that the acoustic here does not sound quite wonderful in the mix– and if you listen carefully, you can still here those string squeaks and creaks that let you know it was actually played by an actual human being– one of our favorite things about the genre. And there is also some sort of trippy vocal that is floating in the background, nearly disguised as a synth pad, and it, too, is a welcome change of scenery.
But the star here is Calnin’s superb vocal work and the way each syllable is a key aspect to his knack for melodic storytelling. And while he swears that “this is quite a happy song,” there is just enough melancholy brought forth by the tale of a doomed relationship to satisfy our hunger for more somber subject matter. Be sure to stick around for the break, when Calnin reveals a rather emotional falsetto before letting us hear that chorus a couple more times. “If It’s Time” is perfect for listeners seeking a soundtrack to go along with their quest for some closure.
About the track, Calnin adds: “‘If It’s Time’ is a song that spurred from letting go of a lost love, and knowing when it was time to move on from all the bits that were weighing me down… for me, lyrically this is quite a happy song. I felt good writing it, and it was a bit of closure in knowing that I was emotionally ready to get my shit together and keep on keeping on. I think the lyrics speak for themselves in this one, no analogies or clever play on words, just straight up how it was.”
-TM