Stephen McCafferty – Reason To Run (2025)
With a stack of LPs and cassettes at his feet and his gran’s old stereo blasting good music, Stephen McCafferty’s passion for music began early on. From the eccentricity and profoundness of The Cranberries and David Bowie to the infectious beat of The Beatles, classic 20th-century songwriting and melodies lay a foundation for this UK-based artist. Known for introspective, poetic lyricism bound in inspiring sounds, McCafferty’s original hypnotises audiences across the globe.
After stepping out of the scene to “reflect and refocus”, McCafferty enters 2025 with renewed vigour and a zeal for reinvention, evolution and deeper exploration of existential themes with sophisticated music. Following a year of intensive studio sessions, McCafferty sauntered into 2025 with his single, ‘Lord Knows I’m Trying’; ‘Reason To Run’ is the second step into this exciting year. Join us as we delve into this intriguing single.
Recorded, mixed and produced by Garry Boyle, with mastering by Stuart Hamilton, Stephen McCafferty (vocals and guitar) joins Dario Ferrante (bass) and Jason Rees (drums) in a melodic concoction of folk, pop and indie-rock. A drag back to the sounds of 70s and 80s folk-rock with a slip of Beatles pop jangling in the background, ‘Reason To Run’ is a nostalgic rush of moving music. Yet, as much as the kaleidoscopic sonic whirlpool breathes with the familiarity of yesteryear, a discreet modern-day indie-folk tone exists, laying him alongside the likes of Mumford and Sons.
Melodically, ‘Reason To Run’ is a toe-tapping, sing-along, heart-warming bubble of infectious music; however, McCafferty highlights his depth as an artist with the lyricism and theme. McCafferty explains:
“’Reason To Run’ came to life the morning after a night of drinking Norwegian whiskey, courtesy of a friend over visiting. That whiskey led to a dream where I watched a pile of burning books – my favourite one resting on top. The song wrestles with the search for meaning, the desire to believe in something, and the doubt that keeps belief just out of reach…”
Find out more about Stephen McCafferty on his official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
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