Track Listing
drunk text
pick up the phone
orbit
you were there for me
fight or flight
closure
Henry Moodie’s EP, ‘in all my lonely nights’, might end up being one of the biggest music surprises of the year. Touching, sensitive and incredibly heartfelt, Moodie has produced a moody (no pun intended) and addictive soundscape about love, heartache and repressed feelings.
Each of the six songs tell a very specific story, with drunk text in particular hanging onto those feelings that go unspoken between two individuals who clearly want more but settle on friendship for fear of ruining everything. And we’ve all been there!
By comparison, ‘closure’ is all about saying goodbye to a relationship that didn’t work out. As Moodie himself sings: “You never lied, you never cheated, you never hurt me once. You never tried to mess up my feelings, but you’re the reason that I don’t know how to get closure.” The lyrics are heartfelt and there’s no bitterness here, helped in part by his smooth, vibrant voice that feels destined for big things after this.
On a first listen, Henry Moodie’s EP is decent, with some very catchy songs (‘drunk text’, ‘pick up the phone’ and ‘you were there for me’ all stand-out) but the more you listen to this one, the more you come to appreciate the anthemic quality and the clever use of soft piano chimes and bursting chords through all of the tracks.
The instrumentals never overpower the quality of the record though, as there are moments – especially during the bridges of each track – where everything is stripped back and it’s here where Moodie’s voice shines the brightest.
As mentioned before, each song tells its own unique story but its ‘pick up the phone’ that’s likely to get the plaudits here. The song talks about mental health in such a raw, intimate way with the overarching message of reaching out to loved ones and sharing your concerns rather than keeping them to yourself.
Anyone who has been through similar issues will absolutely empathize and gravitate toward this song, which is a fantastic way of portraying this.
The other songs on the EP are good too, but ‘orbit’ feels a bit too pop-orientated, with high-sprung chords and a big-room feel that doesn’t quite do Moodie’s intimate voice justice. However, this is the only small blemish in the grand scheme of things.
In all of my lonely nights is a welcome surprise and a great way to bow out the longest month of the year. January has been relatively quiet (at least sonically) but Moodie’s EP may just pave way for greater things to come for this talented artist. This one is a brilliant listen and well worth your time.