THE FRONT ROW

As 2023 draws to it’s inevitable conclusion Liverpool songstress Fiona Lennon can look back on a fruitful year. Amongst other achievements she has supported fellow Scouser and indie-behemoth Jamie Webster, appeared at Y Not Festival, and released the beautiful, achingly positive break-up song Stay High. Ending the year in some style Lennon presents us with her second single of 2023 – Dreaming.

Fiona Lennon’s style of music is a soulful version of folk-rock, not heavy on the ear, but heavy on the heart. She has previously cited Fleetwood Mac as an influence and since being joined by a four-piece backing band some of her songs have a Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers feel to them. There is an appealing mid-Atlanticness to her sound.

On Dreaming Lennon’s soaring vocals are passionate, heartfelt and captivating. As they should be for a song that is essentially about unrequited love. The song opens with a mingling of ephemeral electric guitar, and swirling piano trills before Lennon’s vocals enter – ‘It’s getting late, but I don’t mind when the sun comes up’. When slumber does come you can tell that Lennon’s dream’s are not sweet as she laments ‘I wish I didn’t have to sleep, Oh your face in every dream’.

When I first saw Fiona Lennon perform she was a solo, acoustic artist but she now performs with the band that accompany her on this single. Jack Lennon is on lead guitar and plays a yearning solo towards the end of the song. His echoing backing vocals also emphasis the dreamscape theme of the song. The emotive piano parts are supplied by Jack McCabe, and the anxious heartbeat of the song is provided by Sean Burns (drums) and Elliot Chinnock (bass).

Dreaming was produced and mixed by Ben Harper and mastered by Graeme Lynch and is available to stream and download from Friday 17th November.

Don’t sleep on it. Pleasant dreams.

Ian Dunphy.