Joe Hammill - “You Are The One I’ve Waited For”
Photo by Veronika Hammill
Teesside-based singer-songwriter Joe Hammill has landed in our stack of submissions with his latest release, “You Are The One I’ve Waited For.”
Hammill is no stranger to our blog, as he is one half of the sibling duo Cattle & Cane, whom we featured upon the release of their single, “Rough Mercy.” It should therefore come as no surprise that we’ve become completely enchanted with “You Are The One I’ve Waited For.”
With this new track, Hammill reaches deeply into his nostalgia-imbued bag of goodies, beginning things with a wonderfully captured string arrangement. It is not long before the warm, vintage tones of a bass emerge, adding weight to an elaborate acoustic guitar performance. The resulting production is unmistakably of the introspective variety, carrying its listener away on a magic carpet ride of vibrant sound.
Hammill’s voice joins this retro-tinged folk number with a remarkable delivery, raw and authentic with that up-close-and-personal, worn-in vocal that we so often seek amongst the songs that roll through our inbox. His performance is the epitome of vulnerable, believable storytelling, which is one of the sounds we initially hoped to find upon UpToHear’s inception.
The arrangement expands upon the arrival of an electric guitar and layers of supporting vocals, both weaving wondrously atop a subdued, constant kick drum. The strings eventually elevate, along with Hammill’s upper register, and you will likely find it impossible not to get swept away in the resulting sound, leaving behind all of your earthly troubles.
“You Are The One I’ve Waited For” is one of several singles that Hammill has marked for release this year. Please enjoy it while we await the rest of them to arrive. All you have to do is press play.