Sid Hagan And Marvin Taylor – “Sorrow”
Sid Hagan And Marvin Taylor – “Sorrow” – Single Review
I mean…it’s a miserable tune, but very much surprisingly pleasant to listen to.
Pain is a relatable subject, and perhaps all-too-universal when it comes right down to it, but the reality doesn’t change – it just IS. Sid Hagan knows it. Marvin Taylor, who wrote the song, clearly knows it. I’d be willing to wager there’s a whole bunch of you out there that are mighty inclined to agree – life can be more than painful at times; if you’re not too careful, it can swallow you whole, and that pain becomes all you got left. This single speaks philosophically on behalf of pretty much all of this & more…”sometimes it’s livin’ – sometimes not dyin’” – with all the sweet “Sorrow” you’d expect to find threaded into the concept & cracks that exist in between in this fractured human experience we share both as individuals, and collectively together. “Sometimes just to breathe in, gets me through today” essentially says it all right there in the first verse if you ask me – that’s a line you can instantly feel pierce straight through your heart if you’ve ever felt what real “Sorrow” is all about, and the paralyzing hold it can put over you.
All that being said, like I was tellin’ ya from the get-go here, Sid Hagan and Marvin Taylor make this pain sound mighty fine, you feel me? Honestly, “Sorrow” sounds like it would nestle itself right into the Bonnie Raitt catalog with ease…there’s a real classic R&B vibe to this song that gets the most out of the tone in the music & weary-spirited sincerity of the vocals. You’ve got Marvin on the rhythm, Brian Wooten making the magic happen on the lead with a noteworthy solo in the mix for ya & taking on the duties of the bass as well, John Spittle keepin’ the beat tight from the drum throne, and good ol’ Sid soulfully singing the pain out loud for ya. I’m not gonna be the guy to tell you that a song called “Sorrow” is gonna be the tune that makes you jump up & down with excitement this year – because of course it’s not – and how strange would that even be anyway? “Sorrow” is as “Sorrow” does y’all – this collaboration of talents isn’t looking to dress it up with some falsified notion of what it ain’t – they give it to ya straight, unfiltered, objectively & insightfully – and all with remarkably inviting & welcoming vibes.
It all stacks up to a stellar tune that’s got real grit to its open, honest emotions on full display, paired insightfully with an irresistibly smooth charm that beams through the vocals & music. The melody is on-point and the hooks are highly memorable – but with this whole crew of collaborative talent combined, it should come as no surprise to anyone that the execution from the performance to production is right on the money. From the controlled, crisp snap of Spittle’s snare, to the quaint guitars twangin’ gently through this song with endearing tone, to the warmth & bounce of Brian’s bass & extraordinary guitar solo, straight on through to the wisdom in the lyricism & the evocative authenticity that Hagan brings to the emotion in the words – there’s a lot here to love, even if it’s a song that’s rooted deep in the pain.
A heartfelt mix of classic Country & Folk vibes, wrapped in a stunning layer of real R&B shimmer & shine – “Sorrow” delivers on exactly what it implies, yet we somehow all come out smiling for having had this experience – and there’s something genuinely remarkable about that accomplishment. All-in-all, it’s a job extremely well done from every angle – “Sorrow” doesn’t quite often sound this good y’all – and I reckon you could probably use a sample of this soul-soothing approach to sadness they’ve got goin’ on here. Longtime friends Sid Hagan and Marvin Taylor are workin’ on a whole bunch of new stuff for you all behind the scenes currently – and they navigate this set of emotions & collaborative effort to victory. It might not be the happiest tune you’ll hear in 2021, but “Sorrow” is still a mighty fine one all the same.
Make sure to find out more about Sid Hagan through his label direct at: http://www.okthenrecords.us
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