Tillerman – The Son Must Follow The Moon (2024)
A diamond in the rough or a massive gold nugget in a dark mine, Tillerman is the hidden gem in their West Yorkshire home. Originally formed by brothers Jon and Tom Kulczycki, with regular collaborators bassist Ian Moyser and lead guitarist Shaun Mallia, Tillerman draws together diverse sounds, styles and experiences. From Fleetwood Mac to The Beach Boys, Oasis, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles, the band is a concoction of blues, folk, pop, rock, Britpop and anything else they can think of. The latest addition to their discography is the ‘The Son Must Follow The Moon’.
Following their well-received single ‘Hold Me, Haunt Me’ and cover of The Moody Blues’ ‘Nights In White Satin’, Tillerman dips into a strong indie-folk sound with ‘The Son Must Follow The Moon’. Simplistic and calming, the mellifluous melody combines soaring guitars with a steady bass and dynamic drums with shivers of piano shimmering along. Yet, while the single is a gentle tune, there is a kaleidoscopic complexity within the track. I’m not saying a wistful vulnerability seeping through Jon Kulczycki’s vocals, but rather an emotional rollercoaster wrapped in the elegant music.
A transatlantic single, ‘The Song Must Follow The Moon’ was recorded over three continents – Europe, North America and Africa. A guest lead guitarist recorded his part in Nashville, while the majority of the melody was produced in Leeds with Grant Henderson. Finally, the Itunu Gospel Choir sent warmth and hope from Nigeria. Everything coming together in a bubble of hope, joy and endearment.
Now, ‘The Son Must Follow The Moon’ is technically a Christian Gospel song telling the tale of Jesus focusing on his death and resurrection, hence the Nigerian Gospel choir. Jon Kulczycki shares that he “always wanted to have a crack at writing a gospel-sounding track…” and ‘The Son Must Follow The Moon’ is the crack. If you hear about the inspiration of the song, you’ll see the powerful Christian narrative; if not, it’s a charming folk song. Either way, it’s a sincere, sentimental single written for individual interpretation and enjoyment.
In addition to the single, Tillerman released an official music video for ‘The Son Must Follow The Moon’. You can view the video below or on Tillerman’s YouTube channel.
Find out more about Tillerman on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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