Iain T. McKelvey (previously Iain T. McKelvey & The Midnight Tangos) has dived headfirst into classic rock for his first single in two years, ‘There Goes Hollywood’.
Having grown up on an appetite of BB King and Dusty Springfield it’s no wonder that McKelvey is drawn toward that good old-fashioned, no-nonsense singer-songwriter vibe. So, when you add in McKelvey’s love for suitably crunchy guitars, it’s even less surprising that his new single ‘There Goes Hollywood’ plays out like a classic rock anthem that’s already been adored for years.
Whilst The Midnight Tangos name is noticeably absent, the band all helped contribute and collaborate to a new batch of songs. It seems then, that Iain going under just his own name is the sign of an artist comfortable in his own skin. This new single from the Sydney-based indie singer-songwriter is arguably his most immediately compelling song yet… Take the noteworthy choruses and vibrant guitars of previous singles like ‘Raise Your Wine’, turn the dial up (a lot) and then you’re in ‘There Goes Hollywood’ territory.
‘There Goes Hollywood’ gallops out of the gates boasting all the much-loved classic rock sensibilities; there are warm guitar tones, rock-solid melodies, and fat sounding drums. The bluesy guitar tones slightly remind me of The Doors, and song which unfurls is like something from out of the Gaz Coombes playbook (Gaz fans, take note!)
McKelvey’s voice sits so comfortably in the mix, blending tastefully with the lavish guitars – and you never feel like the guitars are fighting too hard to steal the limelight. It turns out the New South Wales songsmith drafted in Steve Schouten (Peel, Misty Lanes) on production and Wade Keighran for mixing duties, and what a job they’ve done!
The grandeur of ‘There Goes Hollywood’ is really in the chorus, which is firmly McKelvey’s best chorus to date. It’s the sort of chorus that transitions McKelvey from a respected recording artist into an artist that must be seen live.
Speaking about the song, Iain said: “I imagined if Hollywood was a person who was stuck on this debaucherous path, stretched out and warped.
“Look at them, there goes what once was beautiful. Bleak I know, but it doesn’t mean it can’t come with a redemption arc and a belting chorus.”
Yep, McKelvey has said it best… the chorus really is a belter!
With this new single and an accompanying music video to boot, Iain McKelvey is clearly making some exciting and confident steps forward for 2024. Remember the name Iain McKelvey, because there’s a good change his tunes will travel way beyond the Land Down Under. Check out the music video for ‘There Goes Hollywood’ below:
Featured image by Thea Elder – @theaeldercreative
