BE – They Won’t Listen (2020)
BE is a very new band whose ethos is centred around embracing who you are and what you can be. This shines through in their debut single ‘They Won’t Listen’ which looks at change and letting go. Through the power of alt-pop, you are freed to be who you want to be and not worry about what other people have to say.
This shedding of expectations is thrust into the limelight by duo Shel Cribben (vocals) and Marc Barnacle (multi-instrumentalist). The pair have known each other for years and worked on BE as a side project. However, with their other musical commitments coming to an end, they have focused their attention on BE and launched it with the backing of an armoury of songs.
The light synth notes of the opening draw you into ‘They Won’t Listen’ as they zing past you. The deep beat is a great counterpoint to these light notes and Cribben’s vocals. Her vocals continue to lightly tell you that you don’t have to worry about other people and they never needed to listen or understand in the first place. Throughout this affirmation, the deep beat continues to draw you along the single.
While somewhat minimalistic, the melody does have these layers that combine wonderfully to create a whole. There are electronic notes that meld with guitar lines and tinging drums. At one point, the melody really comes into its own which matches where you are in the lyrical journey. This is the moment of freedom that you are being led to and it is wonderfully uplifting. You can feel the weight being lifted off shoulders through the melody and the vocals.
BE is setting you free and giving you the reigns of your life with the power of ‘They Won’t Listen’. The message of the track is driven home by the interplay of the music and lyrics that crest at the same time to shed the weight of expectations.
Find out more about BE on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
