THE YEARNING

By: Lorcan Woods, International Music Correspondent

Welcome everybody to what is today a breath of fresh air within the music business. I am so overjoyed to be presenting in this column a band everyone will relish. At the end of this article, the mood I anticipate you will experience is one to savour. The Yearning will certainly accumulate alot of attention over the coming months; of this, I am quite certain. Since their first mini-LP released by the Elephant label in 2012 called Jukebox Romance, they secured their future in music. After listening to so many of the group's latest catchy and intriguing tunes, that dark light which has been such a part of mainstream music over the last decade has disappeared. That hollow feeling I always got from listening to dull bands leaving me in anguish after hearing their coarse music, has vanished. Substituted in its place is a real sense of conviction that the future of the music industry is still alive and kicking in all its guises because of gifted artists like these. They are original, clever and sexy, who deserve to be a part of your 'wish list' to downlaod and listen too.

I have the great pleasure in introducing Maddie, leading the way in what vocally is one of my favorite songs from the band called, Chasing Shadows...enjoy her brooding tones during this memorable track. It fills a void for any adult listener who enjoys a good tune but yearn for a deeper meaning. The video was filmed on location inside the Union Building withing the famous Oxford University, England. 

I listened to their second miniLP, called Still in Love, with joy and remained in buoyant form humming the chorus to three of the songs long after it was finished. I could easily say that the memorable lyrics are what make this miniLP so special. However, numerous factors make any worth remembering. In their case it was a combination of Maddie's childlike voice, blending effortlessly with the 60's influenced harmonies and Joe's cleverly written lyrics and composed music. It also could have been Maddie's classic all girl charm that made each track so enjoyable to view whilst watching the videos. Nevertheless, they have an imaginative team of graphic people around them that makes each of their video productions special. Listen to this, the (OFFICIAL) lead single of this STILL IN LOVE LP called Everybody Knows (I'm Still In Love With You) to gain a clearer understanding of what I mean. Their use of digital technology enabled them visually to create the illusion they were on board a CGI plane. This produced a lively video oozing with a real mixture of sleekness and charm.

The Yearning comprises individually of Joe Moore (composer/arranger/producer) of all the songs and Maddie Dobie (vocals). Joe plays many of the instruments on the records with the help of Mark Kiff (guitars), Alex Chappelow (guitarts, trombone, pedal steel, and harmonica) Sarah Chappelow (flute), Zoe Illes and Miranda Lewis (cellos), and Alicia RendleWoodhouse (backing-vocals).

Joe informed me that, on his next upcoming Album, he is hoping to have a choir perform in some of the chosen tracks that he will individually conduct and arrange. I shall personally look forward to hearing this. All of the songs the Yearning produce have simplistic melodies and many different structures, with melody being a key ingredient to their success so far. They definitely do not like sticking to one genre. As Joe tells me, "Our next set of recordings will produce a more mature, melancholy sound, as Maddie is now older." (Since fourteen years of age, Maddie has been recording songs) If I still have not wetted your appetite to embrace this band as one to captivate your imagination then I ask you to listen to the next song. Maddie's angelic voice continues in lower register throughout this tune but glides your ears on a harmonious journey to a place called heaven. Called Baby be Mine...I have decided that the written Journey about these musical artists shall finish here whilst you once again delight in listening to one of the biggest and most talented acts to emerge out of the UK for many years.

When finishing talking to Joe, he summed up their musical Journey so far. "If you like music, keep making it! You do not have to sell lots of records to be proud of your achievements." I disagree, Joe, since your last debut full Album Dreamboats and Lemonade, I think that is all about to change on a worldwide scale as you sell more EP's and Albums. My summary of these guys would be this, if Norah Jones and Phil Spector were to have had a musical child, it would have been called 'The Yearning.' To find out why, check them out for yourselves, folks, on Spotify, YouTube ITunes.