Check out the warm, nostalgic sound of Bob Bradshaw’s new single, ‘Songs on the Radio’. The Boston-based Irish singer-songwriter sings of the power of music to take us back to another time, to transport us into the past. Songs are intertwined with our memories and Bradshaw uses the idea of the radio to show how a particular song can disarm us. He explains: “You’re walking down a quiet street, and you hear someone practising the piano and a whole world opens up in your imagination. I wanted to write about that feeling but there was no drama in it, so I made it about a guy standing at a crosswalk when a convertible drives up blasting music, generating waves of nostalgia: ‘Old memories won’t let go / As long as there’s feelings to feel / And songs on the radio’
I wrote this song with Andy Santospago who plays electric and slide guitar. Dave Shrewsbury plays Hammond B-3 Organ, and the rhythm section is Dave Brophy (Patty Larkin, Eli “Paperboy” Reed) and Zachariah Hickman (Josh Ritter, Ray LaMontagne).”
To reinforce the theme, the accompanying visual includes various radios, classic devices that neatly match Bradshaw’s classic, full sound. ‘Songs on the Radio’ really benefits from Santospago’s harmonies and guitar work, alongside Dave Shrewsbury’s Hammond B-3 Organ, creating layers and sonic depth.
Look lout for the upcoming album, ‘The Ghost Light’, which is due for release on 30th April. It promises to be an intriguing collection of stories that every people can relate to. Bradshaw says: “When I write, I never want the scaffolding of the songs to be visible. I want to tell stories with room for exploration and interpretation. I want people to bring themselves into the songs as much as possible.” When the pandemic brought an end to Bradshaw’s touring schedule, a new period of creativity and adventurous song-writing emerged. “That’s where I got the idea to call this album ‘The Ghost Light’. In the theatre world, the ghost light is a single bulb that’s left burning to appease the spirits of the absent performers whenever the hall goes dark.” Well, things truly went dark this last year. Bob Bradshaw hopes to leave a light on for us. Enjoy.
