Julia Cunningham - “The Long Run”
Photo by Aly Ambler
Nova Scotia-based singer-songwriter Julia Cunningham arrives on the blog with a folk-pop song about friendship: “The Long Run.”
The muted sounds of strings open the tune, hopeful and uplifting, setting a wondrous course for the arrival of Cunningham’s authentic and enchanting vocal performance. Her voice effortlessly delivers nostalgically-tinged lines of lyrics, spanning the subject matter of friendship and simpler times– something all of us could use as seasonal depression starts to rear its head.
Before long, a vintage-hued rhythm section emerges, as well as some additional layers of vocals, which combine to bring a satisfying sense of depth and width to the soundscape. By midpoint, what sounds like an effected banjo takes the helm, providing an elegant and uplifting solo that profoundly adheres to the overall vibe of “The Long Run” as though the score of a dream that you never want to end.
The final third is marked by a dynamic break that reveals a more intimate arrangement, with just the sounds of Cunningham’s voice strewn across the top of singular chords. From there, “The Long Run” builds into its final throw of refrains, complete with layers upon layers of auxiliary vocals, leaving listeners with a melody that they will surely want to include in all of their folk-pop playlists.
About the track, Cunningham adds: “Every year, a group of friends I’ve known since high school get together for a back-country camping trip in Kejimkujik National Park in Nova Scotia, Canada. I wrote this song on one of those trips, sitting in a canoe, overlooking Keji Lake… Over time, life has pulled us in different directions. But still, we maintain our ties and value the years we’ve shared. This song is about those friends that feel like family – the ones who have been there through many seasons of our lives, and are here for the long run.”
Although we tend to favor the darker end of the folksy spectrum, there is something truly irresistible occurring within “The Long Run.” Perhaps its our warm, softened hearts as the holidays approach, or maybe it’s the memories of lifelong friends that it conjures, but this tune is something you need to aurally experience asap.