An English band, based in Leeds, Tillerman are a 3-piece band whose pop and soul leanings take a bittersweet turn on ‘Hold Me, Haunt Me’, their latest single. Composed of Jon and Tom Kulzcycki, along with Shaun Mallia. ‘Hold Me, Haunt Me’ is an ethereal pop ballad that’s guaranteed to resonate with anyone who has ever lost someone they love, with a sweet composition, passionate vocals, and a heaving arrangement that climaxes with a stomping beat and grandiose strings.

Written as a ballad that starts with the grand piano and Jon’s lead vocals, accompanied by Tom’s harmonies, the arrangement then introduces Mallia’s clean guitar leads that gently fill up the atmosphere with their tasteful noodling. Before long, Tom’s drums kick in with a driving beat that pushes the song forward, injecting the whole arrangement with a newfound momentum that is exacerbated by the soaring string ensemble. The engaging arrangement is given a beautiful visual backing with the song’s black and white clip that is just as tastefully shot and edited.

Tillerman stuns listeners with a Fleetwood Mac-esque level of emotional potency to their lyrical and musical product. ‘Hold Me, Haunt Me’ is an easily touching song that is done so right. From the gradual growth of its scale to its touching words and its chic instrumental choices, Tillerman’s last single is the epitome of the bittersweet pop ballad.

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Hear Angels Cry opens with a beautiful guitar melody that shows Tillerman’s bluesy roots, and promises a mellow tune with an open sound. It has a soft soothing flow musically and vocally, and the vocal melody and guitar tone are warm with lovely smooth transitions that bring back classic blues rock vibes and chilling mood, especially with those killer shredding solos. Focusing more on Hear Angels Cry’s structure, we find out it has loads of overlapping layers and cleverly orchestrated shifts, this resulted in a rich structure that managed to keep things interesting within a lovely stream of melodies that made those 4:27 minutes fly. 

PRE-SAVE HEAR ANGELS CRY HERE!

I have listened to several bands playing blues rock lately but Tillerman’s Hear Angels Cry stands out! Those guys know their sound and direction very well, not only in terms of writing and playing because this can be heard clearly, but also in terms of production and keeping the mood intact. Although the song is about the current global situation and politics, it has a refreshing sound that made me add it among the best stuff I’ve listened to lately, and I will indeed be revisiting Tillerman’s work.

Looking forward to the debut’s release, keep on rocking guys. Cheers!

PRE-SAVE HEAR ANGELS CRY HERE!