Here is the joyous new single from bluegrass favourite Daryl Mosley. ‘When the Good Old Days Were New’ features a delightfully busy, fluent melody on Mosley’s guitar, which is lifted and supported by Danny Roberts’ mandolin and Tony Wray’s guitar and banjo; together they bring a great energy to the song. Meanwhile, further depths are added by Jamie Harper’s sweeping fiddle and harmony vocals from Jaelee Roberts. Mosley’s conversational singing style helps to create the sense of authentic, personal stories being shared. Collectively, the talented group of players deliver a masterful performance.
As the song title suggests, ‘When the Good Old Days Were New’ is full of narrative detail and nostalgic sentiments that will be universally understood and appreciated. Mosley explains the theme: “I love songs that are steeped in nostalgia. I wrote this song from the perspective of someone who is surprised at how quickly the years passed and how, in the moment, we rarely recognise the experiences that will shape our lives the most.” Many listeners will associate with that desire to step back through time and relive those key moments in our lives.
The accompanying video, shot on location at the historic McElroy House in the picturesque mountain town of Burnsville, reinforces the subject matter with home video footage from decades past interspersed with local actors, Dylan Wilson and Allison Yumagulava, sharing stories. Mosley says: “I tend to look at the past with rose coloured glasses and it’s that positive slant that shapes this song. With this music video, the lyrics, combined with the wonderful actors, the location and the home video footage really gives you that sense of melancholy for the times you wish you could relive. I’m really proud of the way the video frames the song and lets you feel sentimental without being maudlin.”
‘When the Good Old Days Were New’ is the lead single from Mosley’s fourth solo album, due out in October 2024. While he has released solo material in recent years, Mosley is also well known for the various bands he has appeared in over the course of his music career. Most notably, he was the lead singer for New Tradition in the 1990s and joined the Osborne Brothers in 2001. Mosley’s easy style and songs of everyday life are threaded through all his releases. Look out for the new album this autumn.
