ISLE7 – Old Council

Its so great to hear from ISLE7 again. We reviewed their previous song, Beeline, a few weeks ago and now they’re back with a new song, Old Council.
I’m really taken with this new song. A great 6/8 feel with really clear acoustic guitar at the start. What I love more than anything about this song is the inventiveness of the start and end. Really creative stuff and not just your typical country song. If you don’t have time to listen – and I strongly suggest you do – the song starts on the sound of a steam train that slowly merges into the percussion track and works SO well! This was creative genius. Ending the song with a mostly acapela gospel choir added a real classy touch and took this song well out of the usual predictable and familiar feel that you get with a country song.
The bassline is interesting and isn’t there playing the 1 and 5 just to keep things moving along, its playing a real melody and it helps maintain interest.

There’s some sweet mandolin playing in this track, and well placed backing vocals. The lead singer, Scott Severance, has a perfect authentic country twang in his voice.
For me, the rock sound on the guitar solo is a stroke of genius. Its yet another thing that takes this song out of the realms of a standard country song. Really well played, great note choices and that tone is really reminiscent of 80s/90s rock guitar legends.
Just a couple of things – if I had to be picky … For me, it just took a little too long before the vocals come in. At 46 seconds I was starting to wonder if they were going to. Perhaps a solo instrument during this section would have helped maintain interest, or shortening the song. At almost 5 minutes its unlikely to be favourable to commercial radio but I personally was happy to listen several times to the whole song.
A tiny bit of extra top end in the drums will help bring out that superb ride playing too.

All in all, this really is a well crafted, well mixed and really creative track and I’m looking forward to hearing more from ISLE7.

We give this song 4 ears out of 5