What a pleasure to introduce once again an unmistakable favorite of our blog and a visionary of the contemporary songwriting process – Sean MacLeod, the amazing Irish artist. Those of you who joined us in this wonderful experience must remember such immortal hits by this artist as “Romeo” and the smooth hit “Cool Charisma”. However, on September 4th, Sean MacLeod took his songwriting skills to a whole new level by releasing his ten-track album titled “That’s When The Earth Became A Star”. This album pulsates with vibrant energy and is colored in an unmistakable style of Sean MacLeod. It does not just attract listeners’ attention but mesmerizes them completely. Therefore, put on your best headphones, and we will start analyzing the unique brilliance of this wonderful album.
The album starts out with a powerful, rhythmic, and rough electric guitar track, accompanied by a mild synth crescendo, thus immediately creating a powerful and anticipatory beat before the rhythm section enters. From the lyrical perspective, “Take Control (Don’t Let ‘Em)” is an inspirational song about empowerment that helps one resist the influence of outside factors, negative thinking, and manipulation that tries to construct one’s identity. The song is about everyone’s fight for the ability to remain in control and sovereign. It is palpable through the delivery of the singer as McLeod goes from a conversational verse to a powerful, raspy belt chorus, where he pushes his vocal capabilities to exude sheer defiance. Instrumentally, there are energetic drum beats and dynamic bass line additions which add to the song’s energy. The song is a powerful introduction, making you feel as if you have been injected with an adrenaline rush.
The song “Inside Out (Album Version)” begins with an atmospheric fade-in of ambient synth pads and a softly plucked electric guitar, creating an introspective and dreamy introduction as if entering a dark room. The lyrics delve into our own selves, peeling away all the layers that we put on when we go out, to reveal the inner vulnerabilities. McLeod has captured the feeling of disorientation experienced through having your emotions turned completely inside out. Identity today is a performance put on without an end date, one that takes place in front of an audience which is always awake. This is an age dominated by the illusion of infinite possibilities, but constrained by unspoken, continuous demands. While previous generations had their identity handed to them, determined by geographical location, commerce, and cultural heritage, we are tasked with the duty of forging our own from nothing. As for the vocal performance, it is very soft, weak, and double-tracked in the verses and finally develops into a full-blown chest voice during the climax of the track. The arrangement is complex and includes some electric guitar arpeggios, a solid kick drum line, and a string arrangement that expands and shrinks depending on the dynamics of the composition. It conveys deep intimacy and makes one feel heard and comforted.
“Let The Light In” (Album Mix) begins with a brilliant guitar melody that is played beautifully, creating an almost natural beginning to the piece. The main topic of the track is hope, healing, and being brave enough to let your heart open again after experiencing a long period of emotional darkness; he doesn’t romanticize pain but just lets us know that these dark periods will come, but it will get better when we start letting the light in. McLeod presents the image of light as a symbol of love, truth, and acceptance, which helps you demolish the barriers around your heart. The singing by the artist is bright and passionate and goes smoothly into his falsetto before anchoring down into a beautiful mid-range sound. The music starts off as simple guitar playing but moves to a magnificent climax of guitar solos and a beat that feels like an anthem. This track will serve as a source of relief for the listener.
“Who Unchained The Earth From The Sun” is the next song. The hypnotic and rhythmic sounds of strumming by acoustic guitar that are followed by the humming sound of a bass create a dark and philosophically oriented atmosphere of the song, Who Unchained The Earth From The Sun. Using great philosophical ideas such as isolation from the universe and being lost, the lyricist raises a question about what will happen if an individual or humanity as a whole becomes unanchored. Vocally, his performance is intense and theatrical, with dramatic pauses and a moody tone. The production is stark and atmospheric in its use of echo drums, sliding guitar tones, and heavy harmonies. The effect on the listener is profoundly contemplative, stopping you cold in your tracks to think about what life is really all about.
“When the Earth Becomes a Star”, the album’s opening song, begins with total silence before an astral shower of ambient sounds and chimes together with a long-lasting melody played by an electric guitar. In fact, one might think that the sound was captured in an open space. The main concept of the song is taken to the peak: it is the belief that through destruction, survival, and change, people create something luminous that lights the darkness of this world. Here is where McLeod shines with his vocals, effortlessly transitioning from a delicate poetic whisper to an explosive belt. The music consists of sweeping synth pads, electric guitar solos, and an incredible drum beat that sounds like it comes straight from an orchestra. The listener is rendered awe-struck and inspired by the epic scale of the song.
“I Know Not begins with just the sound of a lonely finger-picked acoustic guitar, what sounds like a cowbell, along with some breathy vocals, creating an open moment in a song free of the elaborate production heard throughout the rest of the album. Musically, the song is one of complete acceptance. It is an acknowledgment of the beauty that lies within surrender and acceptance. Instead of looking for an answer in the fight for certainty, McLeod acknowledges his own humanity by accepting “I know not,” letting go of the idea of control over the inevitable nature of life, love, and fate. His delivery of vocals is completely unprocessed, showing every breath, every crack, and nuance of his voice. The instrumentation is kept extremely simple, with only some weeping pedal steel and light bass work added in.
In “Illuminate”, McLeod begins with an exciting synth arpeggio mixed with a driving, mid-tempo bass guitar and beat that gives the song a modern feel right from the start. The theme of this song involves the ideas of clarity, awakening, and being there for others when it is their lowest points. The artist takes a look at how love and awareness may guide you, making things clear and shining light on things that were previously in the dark. In his vocals, he sounds very sure, lively, and rhythmic. He works very well with the song’s tempo and adds amazing harmony to the chorus.
The song “Give ‘Em What They Want, starts with a very heavy, bluesy bass riff, with a crisp snare drum, setting the mood and creating a very rock and roll-like attitude right from the start. The lyrical content focuses on the sacrifices, expectations, and shallow requirements put on creators and people by society. This character may be burdened by responsibility but continues to be that support system. McLeod mocks the expectations of playing a certain role and not staying true to oneself, emphasizing the struggle between being authentic and commercially viable. He sings in a very raw and fiery way with lots of attitude in his voice. The instruments include distorted electric guitars, bass guitar, and very energetic and powerful drums.
“We’re Not Afraid Anymore” begins with the vocal performance immediately, with a rhythmical sound of drums accompanied by some warm acoustic chords that evoke a sense of togetherness and solidarity right from the start. It is about triumphing over common fears and being united despite hardships, and the song carries an unbreakable power in it. According to McLeod, the image of a community or a couple abandoning their fears and taking a step forward in their life can be seen here. McLeod’s singing is triumphal and sounds like an anthem, supported by beautiful group harmonies of the choir. Instruments gain momentum gradually with clapping hands, guitar riffs, and large brass-sounding synths added to them.
“Goodbye”, the last song, starts with a slow and sorrowful piano chord sequence with natural sounds of a gentle cello rise. As one would guess from the title, the lyrics revolve around leaving and saying goodbye to something that is the end of a chapter or a place or a person who used to be the whole world to you. The character in the song is saying goodbye to someone that he held very near and dear. While many people can use the goodbye situation to express their bitterness and cynicism, McLeod manages to paint his farewell as the natural and graceful movement forward, and he does it gently enough for listeners to feel his sadness and understand him. In terms of vocals, it deserves its place among other songs by the artist; here the singer shows a beautifully soft voice full of emotion and space.
A total triumph; what a great magician Sean has turned out to be once again. He impresses with every release and every single album that he comes up with, but these ten tracks on this particular album raise his genius to a new level altogether, and indeed, there could not be anything better than that. Each song contains its own unique, masterly perspective and carries the emotional weight of profound depth and complexity that is hard to forget even once the music is over. I am green with envy for those people who are going to experience Sean’s artistic talents for the first time, since the process is simply witnessing the unfolding of pure magic right before your eyes. Where do we go next, Captain my Captain???
Stream the “That’s When the Earth Becomes a Star” album on Spotify.
Follow Sam Macleod on his socials: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bandcamp, YouTube.
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