Check out Ian Roland’s third single of 2024. ‘The Beacon’ is another beautiful tune, mirroring the gorgeous landscapes of which Roland sings. His words show a real connection between Roland and the natural world, an affinity and respect that he transmits effectively to the listener. Roland’s pure singing voice is central to ‘The Beacon’ and his range and melody are particularly impressive when he hits the high notes in the chorus. There are subtle changes of pace and a full sound, thanks to Roland’s gifted collaborators, particularly Simon Yapp on violin and viola and Mishkin Fitzgerald, who delivers piano, keyboards and backing vocals. Dave Coomber on bass and James Chapman on drums complete the line-up and add compelling rhythms.
Roland says of the song: “A homage to the Adonis Blue Butterfly and the landscape of the South Downs National Park, near Hassocks, UK, this song celebrates the essential beauty of nature, the web of which sustains all life, including our own. We need to preserve it. It was way back in 1970 when Joni Mitchell sang, ‘They paved paradise and put up a parking lot,’ and since then we have had 50+ years of scientific evidence highlighting the destruction the fossil-fuel industry causes. It takes a huge amount of money to try to divert our attention away from this issue, but it is inescapable and will affect us all, no matter how many billions of dollars may have been invested in media disinformation, political influence, division and unrest, to try to muddy the waters.” Indeed. Roland’s affecting music provides a welcome link to the beauty of these landscapes and reminds us of their importance. Enjoy.
