If You’re Feeling Down
Test Card Girl
Picture the scene. You stand alone on top of a windswept hill. Dull grey skies roll out above you as a quiet and still city hibernates below you. As you watch and ponder the current state of things, a small shaft of sunlight breaks through the clouds highlighting that there is still hope. Now imagine taking that feeling and distilling it into musical form. With her latest single, Manchester singer/songwriter Test Card Girl has managed exactly that. Through embracing a touch of hope, a helping of warmth, and then finishing it off with a sound steeped in comfort, If You’re Feeling Down is a ballad that speaks to unconditional love and friendship.
Leading the track is a warm and full sounding acoustic guitar on which TCG dimly picks out a rolling chord pattern with a melodic fingerpicking style. The guitar continues to play the lead role in the song and brings in the main feeling of warm comfort with its sound. As the song moves forwards it is slowly joined by the atmospheric use of synth effects that merely act as elements to boost the songs warmth. Towards the end of the track the song takes on a brighter chord pattern and melds a keyboard and guitar melodic solo that nestles into the background rather than forcing its way through. By doing this the song never overwhelms and keeps hold of its truth.
As well as the well composed music, TCG delivers a very warm and down to earth vocal line. Rather than tweaking her voice to discard her northern twang, TCG has embraced it which for me makes the song even more real. With each time that she sings the words “….You are loved….” With her Mancunian the sentiment just feels so real. Its not the declaration of partner to another but the same way in which a friend or family member would hold you after a bad day and gently speak it to you as a simple reminder. Throughout the song it is littered with subtle imagery and lyrics that speak to the bond between family and friends during times of hardship.
Overall the track is, as stated above, a ballad to unconditional love. Even with its final words that are left to be sung alone, “….If all the nights close in, come home….” As this final line rings out the whole song and its message are channeled in one last attempt to reach out and say, ‘We are never alone as long as we have people who love us, and a place to call home.’ Despite TCG only recently starting her songwriting journey she is already showing a high calibre of material and an even greater understanding of presenting her meanings and thoughts through her lyrics.
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