“It’s not shite, I promise.” Those were the opening words of Hannah Merrick of the band King Hannah when describing their debut song Crème Brûlée to me. It’s certainly a better take on things than the usual ‘*Insert name of trendy music website* premiered this yesterday’, which somehow in the world of music promotion is meant to make me desperate to listen. "It's not shite," doesn't raise too many expectations at least.
Hannah's right. It's not shite.
Crème Brûlée is if nothing else an interesting title for a song. It's probably a bit more sophisticated sounding than Apple Crumble and Custard or Sticky Toffee Pudding. But what is actually about? “Crème Brûlée is about Crème Brûlée and my love for it. Essentially, I'm singing about a pudding,” says Hannah. So there you have it. It's not shite and it's about pudding. Maybe. If music be the food of love then play on.
If Hannah really is singing about the custard and hardened caramalised sugar dessert, then it's a little worrying, as she really is obsessed by it: “I need you so bad….. I think I like you too much…..” she confesses with an unruffled world-weary tone whilst the music recalls the evocative atmosphere of Mazzy Star, Howling Bells or perhaps Portishead without the electronics. Ok, not only is it not shite, but it's rather good.
There’s something else on Crème Brûlée that you don’t hear so often these days as well – a big old power-chord guitar solo that rolls on and on till the end. There's none of that 'designed for Spotify / short attention spans' songwriting going on here. Which I'm fully in favour of. Let's have more long intros, even longer outros and 10 minute sonically expansive journeys please. I can just imagine scrunched rapturous faces on air guitar players all over the world when listening to this.
Based in Liverpool King Hannah are Craig Whittle, Dylan Gorman, Hannah Merrick and Jake Lipiec. Crème Brûlée is available for streaming now and in many good restaurants. Both are very tasty, delicious etc etc.
King Hannah - Crème Brûlée
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