Review by Sylvie Marie
Singer-songwriter Meghan Pulles started out as classically trained opera singer and theater actress. Not planning to pursue music as a career, her path shifted when she became awakened to the musical healing and spirituality of songwriting. Meghan believes that songwriting is cathartic; an emotional band-aid to help heal and to overcome past obstacles. Working towards the “small miracles” of joy to help change the world, she hopes her music will help heal, soothe, motivate, and inspire others enduring pain, by giving fans a musical hug. Her song "How Much Longer" is the perfect exampe of how Meghan's music heals and soothes others.
A few bright and sparse strums on the banjo open Meghan Pulles song, "I Look Out My Window", Meghan enters singing with a reverberant, pristine voice. "I look out my window. I look out my window. I look out my window What do I see?" Meghan has a pure and strong vocal tone that shimmers. The introduction is reflective and observant as Meghan ponders her thoughts and emotions during social isolation. As the song moves forward, the banjo strumming picks up with chords on the downbeats, slowly adding more rhythmic patterns. The second verse uses the same poetic structure: "Will someone save me? Will someone save me? Will someone save me? Save me?" The lyrical repetition creates a hymn-like or song prayer format that is easy to connect with.
Soon a solo guitar joins in playing small melodic and improvisational motifs that grow into longer solos that tastefully weep over the steady banjo. The guitar soloing is quite beautiful and provides a nice contrast to the banjo. Instrumentally, the musicians begin with small riffs and grow their lines into longer and more melodic phrasing to depict the idea that although we may feel uncertain now, we will grow stronger. Robert L Smith of Defy Recordings produced the song and plays the guitar. Meghan, who wrote the music and lyrics, also plays the banjo.
The song ends with "I'll come out stronger...out of my lonely room" moving to the more universal lyrics of "We'll come out stronger..out of our lonely rooms." Here, rich vocal harmonies are added to emphasize that we are in this together. Robert and Meghan sound wonderful together as their voices blend seamlessly over the banjo and guitar landscape.
Meghan Pulles' delicate, honest, and introspective song commences with the question we all have on our minds, "How much longer?" and ends with an uplifting and reassuring message of unity. Meghan asks, "Will someone save me?" In a sense, we are saving each other through moments like this, when a song is offered to let someone know that they are not alone and we will get through this together. In "How Much Longer", Meghan captures the intense lonliness and longing of isolation without fallling to despair offering listeners a glimpse outside her window with a beautiful voice, honest lyrics, and tasteful musicianship that come together to offer hope.
For more information on Meghan Pulles, please visit her website.
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