Single: Leaving by Horse
‘Leaving’ is the new single from long-established Scottish singer-songwriter Horse (birth name Sheena McDonald) who, having entered the music industry in the 80s, is returning to it again after a six-year break. Horse has a wealth of musical experience, having toured with Tina Turner and BB King, and performed with or opened for an impressive list of artists, including Robbie Williams and Sir Iain McKellen, and recorded an album with The Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The singer may have taken some time out, but her re-entry into the music scene is a confident one.
The song sends a powerful message of defiance, strength and resilience. She describes it as “a call to arms to anyone who feels put down” and “an ‘I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore’ moment”. The lyrics begin with a bitter rhetorical question: “How much pleasure do you get? How much joy inflicting pain?” Beginning with this cutting line establishes the theme well, before using various other impactful battle metaphors, such as “You may think that you have won with your little army” and “Sound your trumpets, beat your drums”. I particularly like “You’ve no place in my world, I closed that door years ago”, as it underlines the wisdom she has gained throughout her life – an underrated quality in modern song lyrics.
Her voice is a powerhouse, full of gravitas and reminiscent of The Eurythmics’ Annie Lennox. It rings out with a characteristic edge, unusual timbres and a world-weariness-turned-strength that reflects the struggles she has had to face.
She had to flee her hometown some years ago, due to facing an onslaught of violent homophobic bullying and discrimination. We can only speculate exactly what prompted the inspiration for this song, but this may have played a part. What makes these lyrics successful, however, is that they are universal, and can be applied to any situation in the face of adversity, especially facing people who are trying to get the better of us, often to compensate for their fragile egos.
The accompanying music video, in suitably understated black and white, begins well. However, the choice to have her clad in a costume of chainmail, waving a sword and punching the air, comes over rather obvious, and doesn’t make her seem stronger. A subtler approach would have been more effective to enhance the lyrics and add further dimension and meaning. Scattered shots of portrayed hysteria/anxiety and excessive use of jump cuts are jarring and take away from the flow of the song.
Musically, the verse kicks off with a catchy, syncopated drumbeat, pizzicato strings and long held-out electric guitar notes, giving an edgy, indie rock vibe – a promising start – before transitioning smoothly into the verse, which has a cleaner, more defined sound. This is a very satisfying transition, with a punchy 80s baseline and percussion complementing the lyrics. The medium-paced vocal melody matches the lyrics and propels the song along. When the chorus hits, however, it’s disappointing. From the clean, 80s verse, we are catapulted into a heavy chorus with a 10s rock flavour, the drums loudly hammering out a triplet rhythm (reminiscent of ‘A Message’ by Coldplay, though the overall effect is harsher). This approach seems disjointed with the verse, in genre, rhythm and melody. The long, drawn-out notes in the vocal line seem out of place against the faster rhythms of the other instruments, and having the arrangement kick in so heavily right from the first chorus leaves little room for dynamic and light and shade to build throughout the track. As a result, there is a feeling of a comedown when the next verse comes, even though the verses are much more successful. I think a lighter arrangement, or perhaps even a stripped back one on this first chorus would have been more effective and given the song more room to build and intensify. The notes of the melody also seem slightly discordant with the chords, which can be an effective choice for verses or a bridge but less so for a chorus section that will be repeated multiple times. I think ideally, the chorus would have made an excellent outro, as the song’s climax, rather than the chorus itself.
Overall, the message in ‘Leaving’ is a strong one. The lyrics, concept and vocal performance stand tall, and the verses are catchy, with pleasing elements in the arrangement. However, the chorus prevents the song from reaching its full potential. Though this particular track isn’t one I would play on repeat, I am intrigued to hear what this powerful female vocalist and songwriter brings to the table next.
