Graham Davy return with brooding single “Fear”

The third single by duo Graham Davy which was released a week gone Friday (May 28), “Fear” is a sonically brooding track which attempts to stare fear right in the face - and win.

A song emerging from vocalist Patrick O’Keeffe’s writing sessions, “Fear” is described by the duo as “a tale of personal struggle; a murder ballad where we stalk and kill fear.”

Although the track is relatively simplistic with its lyrics, the summation that fear does nothing but “catastrophize the future” is a colourfully apt description of how powerful of an effect it can have on people.

Sonically, “Fear” is primarily a melding of psychedelic rock and alternative rock, with subtle elements of art rock added for colour, mainly pulling from acts as varied as The Doors, David Bowie, and Blur, and it is interesting how a number of these influences manifest themselves on “Fear”.

From left: David Ruth (bass guitar/backing vocals) and Patrick O’Keeffe (lead vocals/guitar/keyboards).

What is most interesting (to me at least) is the instrumental; more specifically how it sounds and is structured. The chord progression sounds heavily influenced by David Bowie’s Scary Monsters, while the track’s unconventional structure of three verses and two choruses is reminiscent of the unconventional structures found on the first side of Bowie’s Low album.

The guitar and bass work is mostly reminiscent of late ‘90s/early ‘00s Blur, with the guitar work feeling similar to that of Graham Coxon’s work on the more mid-tempo tracks from Blur’s 13. The result of the duo’s array of influences is a three-minute track which while it is brooding, feels surprisingly light and optimistic.

Graham Davy has released two prior singles this year (“Solitude” and “The Horror Show”), both of which were debuted by Martin Bridgeman of KCLR, with the duo also being featured as Irish Artist of the Week on Ed Smith’s Songs of Praise show on Today FM.