As we move into the last weeks of Summer the Autumn releases begin to fall into my in-tray for review. The first up of these is the new single by Joe Hicks, “Time is a Thief” that was released on all platforms on August 29. The single is notable as this is the first new music from Joe Hicks in three years.
The press release gives me the background to the single and a sad story that accompanied it:
“Having steadily built his profile in the years leading up to his 2022 debut album The Best I Could Do at the Time, Joe Hicks has been praised for his solid songwriting and remarkable vocal skills, hitting falsetto notes with ease while channelling the likes of John Mayer and Paul Simon with his clean and dexterous guitar playing. A deluxe re-issue of the LP and a headline tour around the UK and Europe followed in 2023.
Then life threw the musician a curveball. Living in Bristol in early 2024, Joe was going through a lengthy breakup, and suddenly found himself also dealing with the loss of his father. Feeling directionless, the possibility of dropping music became stronger; fortunately, and with the encouragement of his long-time collaborator Tom Millar and producer Sam Winfield, the singer-songwriter overcame that notion, and channelled his emotions into his songwriting. The first glimpse of that transformation is the emotionally charged new single, ‘Time is a Thief’ – a powerful prelude to what’s next in a revealing new chapter.
‘Save me a seat at the end of the world…’ Straight away from the opening line, this is something new from Joe Hicks. The guitar lines remain sharp, yet the distortion is ramped up and the music feels overall heavier. The lyrics pull in different directions, one moment tempted by giving up while determined to continue the next, painting a picture of the musician’s mindset at the time.
Joe Hicks: ‘“Time is a Thief” was a song that when I had finished the lyrics it revealed to me how I was truly feeling at the time, being in a mindset that everything was both pointless and meaningless. It showed me the stages of grief I’d been going through since losing my Dad, where I was currently at, and also how that experience had shaped my outlook on life.’
Photo Credit: Emilie Cotterill
My Review: This is a poignant single that blends elements of folk storytelling with a pop/rock sensibility. I found the single catchy and the lyrics connect to the sense of the passing of days and the loss of things that takes us into the darkness. It moves into an instrumental rock feel mid track and has a sense of a clap along built in that should connect to commercial radio. I think the re-arrival of Joe Hicks on the music scene is something to celebrate as his music is capable of exploring the darker places while providing the key to get us out of it.
This single reminds us that while time may steal, Joe Hicks gives back in melody, honesty, and hope.
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You can stream music from Joe Hicks here
By Stevie Ritson