Nashville (US) based singer songwriter, Noelle Toland, released, I Want to See You Again, last December (2021) and we’re only saddened that we’ve only now got around to hearing it here at the Send Me Your Ears studio!
I Want To See You Again is a gospel blues/ country work of art, frankly. With gentle stripped down instrumentation for the first verse, the second verse adds drums and as the song develops, we’re treated to some beautiful and subtle piano and hammond in the background, together with a choir of layered vocals.
This 6/8 ballad does exactly what you would want out of this style of song. The rise and fall is absolutely superb and with the occasional stop to create tension, the fullness and thickness of the instrumentation washes over you when it returns.
The chord sequence and progression of the song feels familiar, and instantly makes you feel comfortable with what you’re listening to. A glorious middle 8 builds to a beautiful but simple guitar solo and everything returns to the stripped back sound after the first solo.
Featuring the great Steve Cropper on guitar, the pedal steel guitar solo to the end is just sublime. This is truly a classy rendition that has been expertly imagined and superbly executed.
As with most music of this style, the main focus of the track is the lead vocal and Noelle most certainly does not disappoint. Easily holding her ground against any of her contemporaries. Noelle has some wonderful techniques in her vocal toolbox. With some great control and colour in her voice, together with some moments of raw power and gravel to some perfectly executed country twang, Noelle is a force to be reckoned with.
From a production perspective, a boost around 60-65Hz would fill out the kick drum a little and a cut in the lead vocal track around 200-250Hz would balance out a peaking frequency there. However, this is a wonderfully mixed and produced track with all the elements of a hit and these are just a couple of tiny suggestions to our ears.
Noelle Toland is a name that was new to us today, but with this spectacular track, hers is a name that we will most certainly be looking out for in the future. I Want To See You Again will win her many fans.