While they hail from all the way across the pond in the United Kingdom, London-based act “The Occasional Orchestra” continues to astound as they have found a way to not just replicate, but build on the classic American Country sound with the release of their homespun single “Loneliest Day of the Year.”
The piece begins with a snare drum rapturously banging in time as the full band comes in a few seconds later playing in a slow tempo that one would expect to hear during any night of line dancing. In spontaneous fashion, a train whistle blows to set the tone and the song takes flight.
From the first vocals, we can tell this will be a song written from years of experience. The opening lyrics “I’ve watched the leaves fall and I’ve heard the wind howl” set the narrative up similar to a grand tale being told to eager ears.
He tells a story of love lost as he sings the chorus “Didn’t cry when you left me, I held it all in. Just took out the bottle and drank it all in.” His pain can be felt through his voice as embodies the loss he feels through every ounce of his aural register. He pulls deep to describe how often he is reminded of this, from being reminded of her absence every time he hears the train whistle blow, to feeling an apathy to leave the house. A powerful yet sensible tune, this single is sure to invoke sympathy from any listener with any semblance of sympathy.
Written by Nick Gumas
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