By Cynthia Gross
On March 4, County Mayo, Ireland-based acoustic artist Niall McCabe released “The Last Chorus,” which is the lead single from his upcoming album. The effecting and mesmerizing track gently beckons listeners to awaken from their complacency in order to experience all the wonder life has to offer.
“The Last Chorus” was “written in a little caravan on a small Island off the coast of Ireland while my sweetheart slept in the afternoon,” McCabe explains. “It’s a soft anti-lullaby calling her to wake up, but also evolved into a wider call for people to give up the security of their sleepy lives and experience the world with eyes wide open…awake to both the positive and negatives that it offers.”
The spontaneous inspiration of “The Last Chorus” feels symbolic of the underlying message behind the song: take courage and open your sights to the possibility of adventure since you never know where it will lead. There’s an urgency to the message that’s warm and compelling, but not desperate. McCabe describes “The Last Chorus” as “a song that both moves and relaxes, soothes and burns at the same time.”
In the verses, McCabe equates the power of fear to that of pain and hate, which is an intriguing comparison. Fear is limiting. Often, it holds us back from stepping into the unknown, which is necessary to live a fulfilled life. “But I hear where we awake / There’s a fear it’s true as pain and hate / But there’s also songs to hear / Only some for waking ear,” McCabe sings.
Although it may be easy to “close your eyes to pain,” “stay in bed,” and “forget the world and dream instead,” McCabe challenges audiences to venture out of their places of comfort and apathy. “So wake up, my love, wake up / Oh, the world is singing for us / Wake up, my love, wake up / Don’t wait for the last chorus,” McCabe sings in the refrain. The stripped-down instrumental backing comprised of acoustic guitar and bass make the poetic lyrics feel even more poignant.
Niall McCabe has earned a reputation as one of Ireland’s finest singer-songwriters, and that should not come as a surprise. “The Last Chorus” has the qualities of a classic, a song that will forever be timely and relevant. Stay tuned for McCabe’s upcoming solo album set for release in spring 2022, which promises to be a thing of beauty. Follow our Alchemical Multigenre Mixdown playlist for more great music featured on the site.
Cynthia Gross is a freelance writer and award-winning spiritual pop artist based in Maryland. With more than a decade of experience as an executive ghostwriter, she understands the power of each individual’s voice to create positive, meaningful change.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
