Tommy Ashby - “Sophie”
Photo by Andy Little
From Scotland, singer-songwriter Tommy Ashby has just released the remarkable indie folk gem “Sophie.”
Ashby has appeared on our blog so many times that we have completely lost count, but once you’ve pressed play on “Sophie” (or any of his tunes, for that matter), it is quite easy to acknowledge his potential to become a household name. With this new cut, we’re hearing some nods to Ben Howard and The Lumineers, though Ashby has such a unique grasp on the genre that he easily holds his own.
From atop a stripped-back onset of delightfully finger-plucked acoustic guitar, Ashby begins delivering lines of lyrics that joyously pay homage to the treasure of long-lasting friendship. He glides from tenor to falsetto with such grace that we are reminded of artists like early Vance Joy, before the stifling grips of modern pop production.
The soundscape soon expands to reveal soft notes from a piano, plus the eventual arrival of an energetic rhythm that adds a great deal of weight to the happiness that lines the track’s subject matter. And while “Sophie” ultimately beholds an arrangement that densely populates over its duration, it never seems to lose sight that, at its core, it is a folk song.
We should all be so lucky to have an artist honor our friendship with a song, and “Sophie” does exactly that in right around a three-minute runtime. You can now hear the tune anywhere you get your music, thanks to Dance to the Radio. Enjoy!
Connect with Tommy Ashby: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify
And be sure to check out more of Tommy Ashby’s music: “Not That Far To Go” “Lifeline” “When Love Goes Dark” “Running” “My Old Man” “Weigh Me Down” “Moonflowers (Binaural Acoustic Version)” “Comeback Kid (Binaural Acoustic Version)” “Light Speed” “Coastguard” “Dangerous”
-HD