Will Varley is a consummate songwriter from the South of England who has put out 6 records of beautiful, bruised but ultimately uplifting folk leaning music over the last few years. He’s flirted with success whilst gaining a devoted army of fans and admirers. Not least Billy Bragg, who appears on the new record.
That new record is out at the end of this month and has upped the ante somewhat. The songs are a little more widescreen, the melodies seem to reach a little closer to, I’d not the mainstream, then the canon of the classic singer songwriters.
Whether it’s the one that puts him up a level or not, his work will continue to grow and he’ll share his wisdom and warm ruminations on life and it’s travails with those who are already listening.
There’s much here that I would commend to you. If you like Israel Nash then I think you’ll hear echoes of his music here, albeit a more English version of that sensibility. It’s very Afterword adjacent, I’d say,
He’s a prolific touring act and will be out on the road later this year in support of this record in venues that are respectably sized but by no means the capacity that his body of work could realistically fill.
This is his latest single. A lovely song for a warm Spring evening.
Full disclosure; he’s my mate and I’m in this video. So be nice.
I commend him to you. Friendship aside, I really rate him as a writer and I’m sure some of you will, too.
Will Varley | Home Before The World Ends
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Forgot that YouTube links don’t work in the OP…
When you say you’re ‘in this video’ you mean it’s all you? I like it. Good song. Some good acting and storytelling there. Well done MH and Will.
Not quite… Will makes a Hitchcockian appearance at one point. When you know, you know.
But yes; mainly me. Thanks for the kind words.
Nice gentle video and song combination. I particularly like sip from the flask after reading a book passage. Those moments of reflection on something read are golden, and no harm in them being marked by a slug of something potent.