Will make you want to start it from the beginning to listen again.
‘Halfway House‘ is the latest, and second single from Glasgow five-piece Pedalo. This new addition to their discography follows their debut single, ‘Better‘ which was released in May this year. Recorded and produced by Sam Mcleod, ‘Halfway House‘ is a song that sounds amazing and is very addictive to listen to.
Pedalo have showcased their illustrative songwriting abilities with words that paint a clearly intended image for the track. This is a very dreamy song. The bright, light, and airy sound will take your mind away for the four and a half minute duration. While it is longer than the average track, this doesn’t hinder the song in any way. In fact, it allows Pedalo longer to showcase more of their talents. Dreaminess is a concept that floats from not only the sound of the actual music, but also into the vocals. The harmonising that features in various verses and the choruses is beautiful, it fits perfectly into a track like this.
The lyrics contain imagery suggesting a dream, but the versatility within the words leaves the definition up to the listener. Perhaps the “dream” concept is meant literally, or maybe it’s in regards to goals or dreams about the future. Lyrics such as “gasping for air, can’t leave my bed” and “blacked out conversations, crossing memories” do suggest a literal dream. However, phrases like “don’t let the cruel temptations knock you off your feet,” and “I’ve lost total control, so I’ll fall instead,” could hint towards the latter thought process. Regardless of how you may interpret or perceive the meaning of the track, it is a wonderfully worded song.
The construction of ‘Halfway House‘ feels as though a live audience was kept in mind. It is easy to imagine an audience singing these words back to the band. Repeated lines including “I repeat the mantra I am nothing, I have nothing, and I want,” are louder than other parts of the song. This is shortly before each chorus which is very memorable and catchy. Each time, it is the same and begins with “I’m at the halfway house in my dreams, and now I will be ever falling“. With the chorus being so easy to listen to and follow, it will have fans and even those who have never heard the track before, singing along incredibly quickly.
‘Halfway House‘ has an addictive sound that will make you want to start it from the beginning to listen again. In some ways, there is a musical similarity between this Pedalo track, and some songs by the Australian band Sheppard (famous for the popular pop song ‘Geronimo‘). This similarity also appears where Pedalo have utilised harmonising to emphasise certain lyrics or portions of the song. It is an incredibly impressive single and it will be very interesting to hear what they Glasgow group release next!
Even with a limited collection of released material, Pedalo have made their mark on their hometown music scene, and continue to do so. Impressively, they have played sold out shows at both McChuill’s and The Poetry Club and are headlining a gig at the iconic King Tut’s as part of the venue’s Summer Nights shows on August 20th. You can find out more information for this show in the post below. This isn’t the first time that Pedalo have played at Tut’s, they previously supported Edinburgh based artist Swiss Portrait there.