Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz | Detailed or mini-review submissions: song, EP/album | Suggest an artist

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Toby Poynter - The Comeback (song review) |self-released, single, 2016|

Toby Poynter lives for music and expresses his pure soul by making emotionally charged, rhythmic songs. When you screen his past music-related achievements, you'll spot that he feels about writing and performing alt-rock songs the best these days, yet he listenes to all kinds of music - from The Beatles to Bon Iver. Therefore, he didn't shy away from playing grunge and funk with a few other bands back in the 1990s.

'The Comeback' was recorded in Sweden and is an alt-rock track speaking of a love relationship's end. The author gave the song a light, romantic mood despite of the theme - which, when personally experienced, may turn some people to grieving. The vibe gives the idea of a diplomatic farewell, not followed by hating, bullying, and burning bridges.

Technically, there no sneaky intro here, but the verse comes in instantly after a short, buzzy guitar riff. A rhythmic bass line and a drum beat join the guitars - the latter sounds dirty at times for a good reason, considering some old good grunge references. The melody instantly roots itself in your brain thanks to the track's catchy pop-based chorus: "Don't come back anymore", which repeats quite often and is supported with male backing vocals. Toby's voice is characteristic, at times raspy, at times high enough to handle the required pitch. He's a self-taught singer and composer - his voice might be influenced by voices of the original grunge scene - Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) or Chris Cornell (Soundgarden). It's also noticeable that Poynter's singing had improved a lot since the 90s thanks to many years of practice.

The unquestionable strength of his music - the songwriting - allows Toby for expressing the call of his heart. The composition here was thought-out carefully with all possible parts filled by matching arrangements, and never choking on anything. The arrangements sound memorable, however not unique - they were fitted for the vibe loved by alt-rock aficionados, though they do make this song tight and vital overall, thanks to their placement. Even the ending moment doesn't weigh the track down as it sounds just as one could only wish it to be - the rhythm, instruments, and arrangements gradually stop.

'The Comeback' is one of the Poynter's newest productions. It seems to be a candidate for a fuller tracklist of a yet-to-be released album; make sure you follow Toby on Facebook to get fresh updates about his recording process. The song is a potential hit, and is already being played on various radio stations. Obviously, certain demographics and entertainment branches are on a lookout for such a vibe, but it depends on how the author wishes to have his song used. It's a necessary part of a healthy mind to release an emotion out of one’s heart sometimes, yet it won't hurt to reach out to a larger audience and get paid for your creative skills turned into making others feel good. Finally, do watch 'A New Beginning' - his other, professionally recorded music video single available on YouTube.

(Reviewer: Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, December 4th, 2016. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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