Jumping into MayFall’s latest, eponymously titled 2-song single EP I was not expecting to spend such a good time unwrapping all the instrumental layers or diving this deep into the well-thought-out words. Forevermore and What She Needs are a pair of distinctive country rock cuts that each ooze with charisma.
Canadian outfit MayFall are based in Niagara Falls. A 4-piece group whose scruffy and organic sound originates in their no-fuss approach to songwriting using the true-and-tried tools of guitars, bass, and drums, MayFall sound lively and healthy with jangly mixes and hospitable sonic environments on their latest 2-song single. A pair of songs written around the stories of addiction and the relationships that revolve around it, the pain of withdrawal, and the strength to go through with it, this is a deeply personal release.
With the 2 songs written in 2 back to back sessions, Justin Koetsier, Steve Doucet, Piero Montemurro, and Jay Forhan wrote ‘Forevermore’ about being stuck in the infinite loop of substance abuse, seemingly stuck in its prongs forever with no end in sight, the song displays the desperation and denial in such an upbeat way with a country pop song with a wealth of jittery guitars and energetic vocals from vocalist and key songwriter Koetsier. The organic sound of the overdriven guitars gives the song a certain old-timey charm and makes it sound like a 70s rock and roll affair. The old-timey charm continues with ‘What She Needs’, with the energy rolled back down for a restrained sound that’s more subdued with acoustic guitars in the intro and a slower pace. The song is intricately built with a steady climb to a gently stormy end. Being the cut about having the strength needed to pull someone you love out of the depths of addiction, ‘What She Needs’ is an ample display of the mature songwriting of MayFall, both musically and lyrically.
With a pair of deep and thoughtful cuts about a personal and impactful topic, both with distinctive personalities, put back to back on a short but rich single, MayFall are displaying stellar artistic maturity, musicianship, and songwriting talent.
