Conrad Ashton – Those Were The Days (2021)
People can be inspired by all sorts of things – listening to a specific song, seeing something on the television or being in a situation and a specific time. All of these things can inspire direction, aspiration and future life goals. This was the case with Conrad Ashton and Pete Townsend. At age 9, Ashton saw Pete Townsend perform at Live 8 and this changed his life completely.
Known for writing heartfelt songs over moving melodies, Conrad Ashton has built a reputation for being insightful, reflective and provocative. Touching on controversial subjects like mental health and depression, he uses music as a means of escapism for all of us dealing with the proverbial rat race. Following a highly successful 2020 with critical acclaim from RGM, Clash Magazine and more, Ashton is back with another earworm. Let’s take a gander at his new single ‘Those Were The Days’.
Following his well-received single ‘The Longest Night’ (read our review here), Ashton brings us the new single ‘Those Were The Days’. If you think you might have heard this song before, well, you might be correct. ‘Those Were The Days’ was featured on his EP No Post On Sundays, but this version adopts a full-band sound instead of his heartwarming acoustic approach. It doesn’t mean the full-band version is better or worse, it’s just slightly different.
As with most acoustic-influenced tracks, the previous acoustic version of ‘Those Were The Days’ boasts slightly more intimacy; however, this full-band version has a greater intensity or “oomph”. Ashton’s clear, rich vocals can be heard throughout the single adding gruffness to the poignant lyricism – something truly distinct about this young UK-based artist. Yet, it is the well-placed instrumentation that adds robustness to the content.
Using his endearing personal narrative, Ashton draws you into this intricate web of music slowly with his charming tone but do not be fooled. Lulled into a comfortable sense of security, you might consider this to be another of his lighthearted songs, however, the crescendo into a catchy chorus with forceful instrumentation bowls you over. Guitar-driven, ‘Those Were The Days’ combines powerful guitars and pounding drums bringing a high-paced enthusiasm to the track.
I may be a little biased regarding this track as I am a huge fan of Conrad Ashton, but ‘Those Were The Days’ definitely show another side to this insatiable artist. Reflective and nostalgic, this new single is one of his triumphs and what will keep him on most playlists in 2021…until he releases something even better this year!
For more from Conrad Ashton check out his official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
