Blackbird Green – Higher Ground
“If you carefully listen to vocals, it seems that on the other side of the microphone a very deep person, which is naturally reflected in his work. The words of his songs are stuck in memory, and the calm melody Pop Rock serves as an excellent decoration, complementing and embellishing the overall picture.” (Automatically Translated with Google Translate)
“Если внимательно прислушаться к вокалу, то создаётся впечатление, что по ту сторону микрофона очень глубокий человек, что естественно отражается в его творчестве. Слова его песни застревают в памяти, а спокойная мелодия Pop Rock служит прекрасным украшением, дополняя и приукрашивая общую картину.”
-Nagamag.com
Blackbird Green have ridden the whirlwind of pandemic mitigation and have arrived with a batch of new songs. Taking the lead is the single Higher Ground, enlightened indie rock intended to uplift and soothe.
No stranger to the stage, Blackbird Green were playing live in bars around Melbourne, including the Last Chance Rock’n’Roll Bar, Mr Boogie Man Bar, and the Tote. When the pandemic hit, life as Melbournians knew it disintegrated, and so did that version of Blackbird Green.
Come late January 2022, primary songwriter Simon Ferwerda enlisted Manny and Andy of Good Morning Kaos and the three recorded a 6-song EP, at Studio 52 Melbourne, working with Trevor Carter as producer. Higher Ground came about from an unsuspectingly inviting riff which forms the spine of the song. Focused on empathy and trying to elevate others to ‘higher ground’, the single is a tender and genuinely encouraging song, its cascading and gritty riff offset by Simon’s ascendent and melodious vocals.
Higher Ground is the first single to be released off the forthcoming self-titled Blackbird Green EP, a body of work filled with clever songwriting set to lively guitars and alluring rhythms. This lead single holds a refreshed outlook on Melbourne’s appreciation of cultural practice and the celebration of live music. Higher Ground’ single release is May 7th.
Reviewed by Nagamag on July 4, 2022