One of the highlights of meeting Alyssa Flaherty in Nashville was seeing her exuberance and confidence in just how much material she has ready to share with the world - "3 EP's worth". True to her word she has pulled another song from her back pocket, and a timely one at that for "January ( Warm With You ) which fills the void of the New Years comedown.
It manages to perfectly capture that period as the events that have been building up for months start to appear in your rear view mirror.
"When the ticker tape is swept away
And the glitters worn off
There’s nothing left of that cheap champagne
And now that clock is just a clock
When that midnight moon goes down
When the countdown counts us out"
It all plays out over a picked acoustic guitar with an electric guitar mournfully wailing in the background, only adding to that sense that everything is coming to an end. Alyssa though is looking on the bright side and her focus is the ideal antidote to feeling blue - always easier if you've got someone to cuddle up to!
"I wanna stay warm with you
Hide until the skies turn blue
Baby till the new year’s new
I wanna stay warm with you"
The chorus musically sees the backing subtly increase in volume, aided by some gentle percussion however it is Alyssa's heartfelt delivery that truly wins the day.
The slightly sultry second verse only reinforces that feeling of why go outside if everything you need is right here? There's a delight in the way Alyssa's voice hovers and wraps itself around the words "fade away"
"When the world is just a wash of grey
Boy, I don’t wanna step outside
Pull me in and make it fade away
Give me the fire in your eyes"
There's a bright sparkling in the crisp guitar sounds that precede the bridge where she proved she's no lover of the cold winter months.
"Lay with me until the flowers bloom"
Everything comes together in the final chorus where the percussion is more pronounced and Alyssa's voice is at its most forthright. It comes in at just under 2 and a half minutes so there's no excuse not to throw another log on the fire and hit repeat. Alyssa Flaherty - a #TEAMw21 recommendation for 2025.