Independent

Release Date: June 24th 2022

Reviewed by: Joshua Andre

Echosmith– Hang Around (Single) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)

Track Listing:

1. Hang Around

With the catastrophe of 2020 and 2021 (and the first half of 2022) that is now firmly and well and truly behind us- and hopefully, there will be indeed better days throughout the rest of 2022 (here’s hoping and praying that COVID-19 waves won’t be this ongoing and recurring thing!); what shall we all aspire to be and what shall we aim for in the near future, in every aspect of our lives? It’s a question that I’m sure will grip the hearts of many, as we look into the mirror and take stock of our entire lives. We’ve all made it through the past few years, albeit with a few bumps and bruises (literal and metaphorical!); and so we technically have a new lease on life. What shall we do with it, you ask? Well, according to indie rock sibling trio Echosmith, you have to tell someone- that special someone that you want them to “Hang Around”.

Echo-what? You ask. I know, I know, the trio of Sydney, Noah and Graham Sierota aren’t popular nor famous my any stretch of the imagination; but no time is better than the present to dive in deep to an artist that is new or new-ish, right? I first heard of Echosmith when lead singer Sydney sang guest vocals on one of the many versions of For King And Country’s mega-hit “God Only Knows”. The result was one of my favourite duets in recent memory, and I just knew that once I heard the track that I needed to check out who Sydney was as a singer and who Echosmith was. After some digging and some more digging, I found out the heart of the band and some songs online- and let me tell you, they are definitely a band to watch out for in the future. No doubt these guys will be plenty influential in the future (but that’s for another post in the Momentous Mondays’ blog series of up-and-coming artists who we deem to be influential within the upcoming months and years!); and if you want to read more about my thoughts on their latest full length album Lonely Generation, you can read the review here. But as this is a new year, let’s dive into something new from the band. “Hang Around” is a 3-minute alternative/rock/indie melody where Sydney describes the beginning stages of a relationship and what she hopes the other person will want to do- as in spend time with her; and boy, let me tell you, this melody is relatable and relevant to… probably I’m sure everyone on this planet.

While we do not know if Sydney is singing to her husband, and letting him know her immense love for him (or if Sydney is singing to someone that she hasn’t met yet, and is singing from a point of view of a fictitious single person); we are nonetheless encouraged and moved to let the people we love know that we love them. Whether it is a platonic friendship or the beginnings of a burgeoning romantic relationship, Sydney inspires us to let the person know that we want them to hang around with us- for that person to cherish their time with us and to believe that we are special to them. Sure… this song does sound like we’re needy. But it could be viewed as a sweet melody about something as innocent as somebody pouring their heart out to another person. With the song also meaning to tell someone you appreciate them and that you enjoy their company, the track can also be extrapolated to moments in life in general- and letting people in your life know that you value them as people. With this song being a gentle reminder to always be on your toes, to always be proactive, to always be grateful, and to always be thankful for the people in your life who love you as a person for who you are. So well done to Echosmith for the heart-warming and emotional track- sure to gain a whole lot of fans for life!

Is it premature to say that Echosmith are on their way to becoming new next Switchfoot? Not to put pressure on them, but their songs on Lonely Generation and also this single, makes me think of the songwriting calibre of Jon Foreman, Switchfoot front-man. So, take that what you will, and let me say that Sydney, Noah and Graham deserve all the praise and all the accolades- Lonely Generation is flawless in my opinion, and this lead single from their unnamed third album is superb as well. Nothing more needs to be said- so hop to it everyone! Jesus speaks through music- even through mainstream music; and Echosmith’s discography is proof of that!

‘Hang Around’ truly defined and set the tone for this next chapter. The process of making the song actually reflects the whole meaning behind the lyrics. We wanted to talk about our relationships, and how when a love feels so right, there’s no way we could’ve planned it ourselves. So all you want to do is be around it. On a hot August day, we went into the studio and wrote ‘Hang Around’ in just a few hours. We listened back the next day and knew right away that this was the direction for our new music.

Score: 4.5/5

RIYL: Colony House, Brooke Fraser, For All Seasons, Love & The Outcome, The New Respects, Switchfoot