Lissie – Further Away (Romance Police)
Husky voiced singer from Rock Island pushes all the Stevie Nicks buttons with a new single and video.
Cue then, bombastic chorus, reverberating bass line, synth drums and strident vocals sung straight from the gut as Lissie, obviously the victim of a love crime here, wanders listless through sunlit fields, over bridges, dangerously close to both oncoming traffic and alcohol (though just the suggestion of a bar stool is enough). And if that sounds like so much ’80s rock acrylic hair tossing then stick around for the chorus, which boasts an excellent line in Shangri-La’s-style backing vocal commentary. “Stop! Thief! Somebody help! He just stole her heart and he’s getting away,” the girl singers trill – while Lissie keeps up the heart-torn emoting in the foreground: “Call… Up... The romance police / He’s got deep blue eyes / He’s disturbing the peace”. Fantastic. In ends with a big, near-ravey breakdown that goes on for over a minute with attendant guitar solo, the arrival of a police car and Lissie whirling defiantly under rainbow skies. It’s all unashamedly hammy and it’s a brilliant pop-rock song, guileless and funny and seemingly natural and unpretentious, yet probably comes with an arms-length of songwriting credits.
Further Away (Romance Police) is out August 5 on Columbia ahead of a new album Back To Forever in September
