Paul Cook & The Chronicles - “Passing Fad”

We last heard from Paul Cook & The Chronicles back in January, with the release of “Somebody Else.” But we are delighted to have them back on the blog with a new single: “Passing Fad.”

This one begins with some soft synth to pad the sonic space before the arrival of an acoustic guitar. Cook’s vocal begins at the same time and we are immediately reminded of why we first fell in love with his sound– the vocals have been exquisitely double-tracked and include a soft harmony, adding that vintage thickness we so often find ourselves seeking in the songs that fill our stack of submissions.

The appearance of the hi-hat foreshadows the ensuing elevation in production, allowing us time to brace ourselves for something magical. And upon Cook’s delivery of the line, “You can call me a loser,” the expansion in the arrangement is immediately reminiscent of The Beatles, with a warm and satisfying rhythm section that has been bound tightly together with an authentic, creamy compression.

The song ebbs and flows throughout its duration, adding and subtracting elements, wonderfully sparse in the verses and full in the choruses, with Cook’s falsetto carefully feeding the lyrics into our ears. “Passing Fad” comes from Cook’s upcoming LP, Cheers Love, due for an early November release.

-HD