A good songwriter must also be a master storyteller. They must have an openness to express what comes into their heart and combine it with a melody that fits the emotion. The personality needed to weave a tale that is both engaging and entertaining must shine through as well. This is not a commonly found set of skills, but our recent find John Tiller seems to have all these pieces in place.
Tiller takes influence from the rich musical tradition of his local area as well as from American artists Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. Indeed, his latest single “Battle Ready” manages to effortlessly combine the rootsy, heartland sounds of Americana with the brooding, darker tones of his hometown of Manchester.
“Battle Ready” relies on a hypnotic rhythm, mostly provided by a finger picked acoustic guitar, which is beautifully complemented by subtle bass and mandolin as the song progresses. Tiller’s striking vocal tells a heartbreaking tale of love and loss. Two parts world-weary sigh, three parts menacing whisper, the delivery of each line adds a powerful solemnity to the already weighty subject matter. His new EP drops in November and if the other tracks are anywhere near as good as this one we can’t wait to hear it!
Keep up with more from John Tiller on his Twitter @itsjohntiller and SPOTIFY.
