2024 was the 10 year aniversary of #TEAMw21 and one artist who unknowingly played a major part in what it was to become was Hannah Jane Lewis, for it was at her Borderline EP launch that much of the team first met. In those days the number of UK artists active at any time could more or less be counted on one hand, She played at C2C 2014 and her country catalogue is well worth checking out if you can find it.
Hannah was always a bright light, a bubbly presence, a born entertainer and vocalist however it seemed as though we had lost her to other genres where let's be fair she has had some big successes, one of her tracks is currently on 11 million plays on spotify. However, only today, this little gem belatedly came to our attention. Obviously ten years on her writing has matured and this song, written with Joel Gunnarsson, and Jackson Dimiglio-Wood is an indication that should she ever wish to leap back into the Americana genre not only would she fit right in but she'd resume her place as being among the cream of the crop.
This song played out mainly on acoustic guitar is a plea to be noticed by someone who seemingly has many oher calls on their attention. There's a raft of electronica that joins later to make it more radio friendly however the key ingredients are Hannah and her guitar. Hannah's voice like her songwriting has also matured over the years it now has a deeper huskiness about it, perfectly placed for bringing the realistic sense of hurt home.
"You’re the applause I’m the popcorn on the floor
Your names in neon lights you’re what everyone’s here for
I’m just the room and you’re the disco ball
I get a glimmer but I can’t have it all"
It's not sung with a sense of bitterness, yet it is imbued with a level of sadness.
The second verse is a perfect echo chamber of what happens on that route to success, as those who are there at the embryonic phase gradually get eased out by arrivistes. The second verse sees Hannah's voice multitracked building up the sound - there is some electronica added but to be honest it is the least inspiring element of the recording.
"I was there at the start for the first ten thousand hours
You’ve done ten thousand more and now it’s raining flowers
Don’t go me wrong you deserve all the attention
I’ll stick around for just an inch of your affection"
The chorus is also a beautiful summation
"You’re everyone’s but mine I'm all yours and that’s alright
Chasing you’s the greatest waste of time
The faster your worlds spinning
The less of me there’s in it
Loving you’s not cheap but I’ll pay the price
You’re everyone’s but mine"
Things reach a climax at the bridge which sadly is also where the worst ot the atmospherics arrive, which subtracts from, rather than adding to the emotions being laid out as bare as they possibly could be. There is still a lot of love and affection held just that it is becoming ever harder to get noticed to be able to give it.
"I’ll meet you past the middle
Give a lot
And take a little less
God damn This man’s gonna bleed me dry"
As if to reinforce the point about the backing - the final thirty seconds have Hannah singing off mic with just her guitar, towards the end the words barely tumble out but they carry more emotion than all the keyboard wizardry could ever muster in a lifetime
It's a little three minute gem at a time that it seems that Hannah Jane Lewis is everyones but ours!