It is rare that a song delivers an emotional impact quite like ‘Car Crash’, the latest single from Hannah White. Right from the simple, direct and disarming opening line: “They want to take my baby,” you are pulled into a tale of heart-breaking turmoil. In the accompanying video, we see White sitting in the corner of a bare room and it genuinely adds to the feeling of vulnerability, of being exposed, that is central to the song’s theme. We see the desperation in White’s performance; visually it tells the same story of loss as the stark lyrics: “And I must be the worst at // Loving my baby // And if there is a picture of desperation // Surely it’s of me // It’s a picture of me,” that final repetition reinforcing her resignation in the face of terrible circumstances.
‘Car Crash’ is a beautifully crafted song with White’s emotive vocal at its heart and captivating throughout. Often gently restrained, her voice soars above Lars Hammersland’s atmospheric Hammond organ in the melodic chorus. There’s a really effective moment as the song builds when the instrumentation pauses, stripped away to reveal just White’s voice, her words the only focus, and then Luca Wade’s thumping percussion drags us right back into White’s confessional grief.
The song is taken from White’s forthcoming album ‘About Time’, which is due for release on 22nd May 2022. This is the highly-anticipated follow-up to the acclaimed 2020 album ‘Hannah White and the Nordic Connections’, which was nominated for an AMAUK Award for best UK album. It contains ten new compositions from White, who sets out to write searing, honest, authentic music. ‘Car Crash’ is an excellent introduction to the new album that will leave listeners in a reflective mood. Check it out.
