Dublin has a history of producing its share of songwriters who can make a melody stick. Sean MacLeod should be in that conversation. Light Up the Sun is warm and confident and it's just one of those things that comes across as natural from a guy who has been quietly creating a body of work for years. There’s a relaxed confidence here that feels completely earned naturally.
It starts with a soft, slow, acoustic guitar introduction. Then it builds. When the whole setup finally arrives, with the jangly and reverb-heavy sounds, you feel like you're back in the 90s with the best of the alternative rock era. Not in any indirect manner. More like someone who took this time for what it was and made their own path through it.
The vocals are well placed in the mix, right in the front. MacLeod has a very distinctive voice and it's a voice that's appropriate to the material. It's light and has a bit of weight, and that's what makes the song emotional.
MacLeod is interesting as a songwriter because of the disconnect between how the music sounds and what it's doing. The tunes are cheerful and easy to sing. There is always something more thought out going on, philosophically and harmonically, under that. He has mentioned the Beatles and the Beach Boys and you can hear them, but it's not a copy of the Beatles or the Beach Boys.
This single is one of the upcoming album, which is being released as a standalone, and it fits the bill in that context. It doesn't require an album to stand up for itself. It stands on its own. If you're new to Sean MacLeod, this is a good introduction. Warm production, a very special song and a songwriter who knows his craft.
