Stoneshoes – Now Is The Time (2025)
Expressing not only life experience but the raw emotion lying within, musician Nigel Watson finds his solace in the solo project Stoneshoes. With a sound that is “…raw, honest, and unpolished in the best way…[Stoneshoes] is rooted in feeling, not formulas…” – to his testament, that is exactly what the track ‘Now Is The Time’ offers. Join us as we delve headfirst into Watson’s debut single, ‘Now Is The Time’.
The first single off his upcoming album – set for release in June this year – ‘Now Is The Time’ finds a line between indie-rock, indie-pop, with tinges of folk and a slip of reggae lingering in the back. Recorded, composed, performed and produced by Nigel Watson, the single is soft, soothing, elegant and brims with chilled-out tranquility nestled in toe-tapping, smile-inducing waves of sound. For me, this song has a great retro feeling leaning toward the UB40-ish tones but not quite; instead of a clear definition, ‘Now Is The Time’ is a kaleidoscopic twirl of subdued percussion, groovy drums, an interspersed folk-driven harmonica, and Watson’s gentle vocals binding everything in a silvery ribbon. In other words, sit back, relax and feel the feel-good vibes.
This being the first release from Stoneshoes, I don’t have anything with which to compare the song. ‘Now Is The Time’ is the only offering, but what an offering it is. Breathing life into the nostalgic sounds of yesteryear, the Wales-based musician taps on your shoulder, gives you a big grin, and holds your hand as you travel to spaces, times and places that will soothe your soul and win your heart.
As I mentioned, Stoneshoes creates music that explores the raw emotion within lived experiences, and the acoustic style of ‘Now Is The Time’ seems to reach further inward to the core of vulnerability, fragility, and tender optimism. The perfect song to drive away the Monday blues, I am thrilled to have discovered ‘Now Is The Time’ at this moment. I only hope that this highly recommended artist has not peaked with his debut single… I don’t think he has, and I cannot wait for more from Stoneshoes.
Find out more about Stoneshoes on his Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
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