“LEAVES TO BURN” BY ANDY SMYTHE:A HEARTFELT ODE TO FARMERS’ STRUGGLES
3 min read
Sometimes life can be soo draining and you just keep burning out of energy and strength to keep going. But this is something people often overlook, they don’t care about the input they only care about the output, and this is something that’s happening to those into farming, sometimes all their energy is gone, the seasons, the weather and a whole lot affecting their farming and products but what we all think about is the well being of the product and not even the farmer. This situation is what Andy Smythe has put together on his latest single titled “Leaves To Burn”. A song that marks a significant milestone in his musical journey, blending lush instrumentation with touching storytelling to create a deeply evocative and resonating piece.
Now this single “Leaves to Burn,” is a beautiful track that captures Smythe’s ability to put together personal history with broader social commentary. When you listen to the song, you’d realize how the song is more about nature and agriculture. Well that’s because he actually drew his inspiration from those years he was working on farms in rural England, the song then goes deep into the cyclical nature of agricultural life and the mental health challenges faced by those in the farming community. So the song is a masterpiece that sheds light on the problems and challenges that those in the farming community faces. Sometimes we overlook our farmers and think oh yeah it’s just farming, forgetting about how seasons affects their farming activities, then we tend to ignore the stress and pain they go through, then as the song goes on you hear the refrain “no more leaves to burn” hinting at the exhaustion and perseverance inherent in this way of life. Then as the song consumes you, you realize how those guitars, organ, and bass come together to create an immersive listening experience. And that’s down to Andy Smythe himself and McCartney’s solo efforts. The switches between melodies of bass lines with organ and guitar riffs creates this orgasmic feel which are textured and complements the song’s nature and feel.
Well Leaves to Burn is indeed a masterpiece that asks the listeners to also reflect on their self, when sometimes life gets soo tiring and it burns you out and you have no energy left, no leaves to burn, you’re exhausted but you can’t stop going and you gotta keep going but where’s the energy? That is something we all experience and can deeply resonate with. To me Andy has really crafted a masterpiece that deserves your attention with its beautiful melodies and beats, coupled with heartfelt lyrics, you’re in for a treat and Incase you didn’t know, this single is from his Poetry In Exile album, so go ahead and give the song a listen while you enjoy the album. There’s a song there titled Prodigal Son, man, just check it out and thank me later. ENJOY!! Make sure to check him out on the links below for more;
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCShvp_PtOMP-Je3ch15j5Mw
https://www.instagram.com/smytheandyrnroll/
English