Acclaimed Rotherham born songsmith, Will Pope shares his folksy new single ‘Black Bird Fever’, his second release of 2024.
Will Pope is a busy, busy man. If he’s not already gigging around London (St Pancras Old Church, Half Moon) or getting signed (Revolver Records), then he’s carefully crafting his next album. ‘Black Bird Fever’ arrives as the second single off Pope’s upcoming album ‘True to Form’ – and it’s a blissful reminder that the UK folk-scene is in fine form, as long as Will Pope’s doing his thing.
Pope is in rarefied air; he’s an under-the-radar artist with a fully developed sound, a clear sonic vision, talent by the bucket load and, crucially, the songs to back it up. And ‘Black Bird Fever’ is a perfectly pertinent example.
Pope’s latest release begins with his signature-fingerstyle guitar picking. There’s subtle complexity in the guitar textures, and the swirling reverb creates a beautiful ambience. But when you start to scratch the meticulous surface, there’s a beautiful guitar melody underneath – it’s totally alluring.
In true Tallest Man on Earth fashion, I love how Pope’s vocal melodies follow the guitar part… I guess if you’ve landed on a great tune why not double-down, right? But it’s Pope’s vocals which (somehow) steal the show, he’s got a voice that will leave you astonished. Pope gracefully flits between low murmurs akin to Bon Iver and lofty falsettos that are more Jeff Buckley than Jeff Buckley.
As the guitar trundles forward, so too do Pope’s coiling melodies, and by the first minute it’s hard not to get caught in a trance. The bridge section is what really gets me, Pope’s voice hangs over you like an ominous cloud as he sings: “Please… speak to me anytime” and it’s delivered with some haunting harmonies. It’s as if Pope’s is aching from a deep loss and is yearning for a ray of light.
All in all, I’m totally sold. ‘Black Bird Fever’ is the sort of song that makes me want to shut out the world, make a cuppa and search every corner of my soul. It’s beautifully written, ethereal in it’s sound and delivered flawlessly. Will Pope is out there making music to soothe our heavy hearts, and I can’t wait for his album ‘True to Form’.
Listen to Will Pope’s new single ‘Black Bird Fever’ below:
