Expanding from cinematic piano-laden balladry into a rousingly classic pop spirit, “I Walked Away from the Firing Squad” is a captivating new single from Craig Benedict Valentine Badynee. A melding of fervent vocal theatrics with magnetic brass, piano, and guitar work results in an immersive, melodic sound — resembling a cross of Plush’s orchestral intrigue, Foxygen’s throwback spiritedness, and Harry Nilsson’s dramatic versatilities.
The single also engages via Badynee’s unflinching lyricism, embracing vulnerability. Lines like “all those dog years talking, your bullshit hawking / really did a number on my head” exude clarity and angsty bite, resembling a weary confessional, in the vein of Nick Cave. Paired with swelling brass and piano flourishes, the track captures a push-pull between reckoning and release — and about the aftermath of survival.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
