Jonny Herman – Old Romantics (2024)
When I read the title of Jonny Herman’s new single, ‘Old Romantics’, I immediately thought of the band The Romantics and their song ‘What I Like About You’ – don’t ask me why, I don’t know. In addition to being at least two decades younger than The Romantics, Herman’s sound isn’t what you’d call influenced by the 70s band. He is genre-diverse and hardly one to pigeonhole, but another ‘What I Like About You’ is yet to be created by this musician. A naturally talented UK-based artist, Herman’s style flits from jazz and indie to blues, rock and a hit of soul. Come with me as we delve into his latest single, ‘Old Romantics’.
Following his well-received single ‘ocelotoflounge’, ‘Old Romantics’ is Herman’s first release in 2024. Not necessarily altering his style entirely, ‘Old Romantics’ has the fluttering of jazz flowing through the track; however, a step into a new direction exists moving toward indie-rock meets classic rock. Moreover, Herman shifts from his entirely DIY sound to incorporate a collaboration of musicians, producers and music engineers.
Produced by Leeds-based producer Bob Cooper, with mastering by Grant Berry, ‘Old Romantics’ is a “revival of crooner rock”, but modern-day indie-rock shimmers through the melody. A swarming mixture of musicians Will Herman, Aimate and Matthew Ward, the single lifts you into a haze of saxophones, guitars, drums and piano, each pulling at your heart. Interestingly, while the instruments work in harmonic unity, each element holds its own with sophisticated layering and arrangement. For me, one of the most exciting parts is the mid-way movement to acoustic piano offering a subdued lilt to the single; however, a crescendo to saxophone immediately changes the tone pushing more sexy, upbeat tones into ‘Old Romantics’.
The melody is intriguing on its own with a vivacious personality, but Herman’s vocals are the X factor. Tapping his hat to crooner rock, he fits perfectly in a jazz club; however, the rich but gruff timbre gives a heavier indie-rock flavour to ‘Old Romantics’. With a cheeky wink and a big smile, Herman keeps you enthralled with the new track.
In addition to the single, Jonny Herman released an official music video for ‘Old Romantics’. You can view the video below and on his YouTube channel.
Find out more about Jonny Herman on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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