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The ex-Kaiser Chiefs’ songwriter/drummer unveiled Everyone Says Hi earlier in the Spring with debut single, Brain Freeze, which was quickly followed by a first live performance at Brighton’s Great Escape and a pair of sell-out headline dates in Hodgson’s hometown of Leeds and London. A second track, the electric torchlit ballad (and album opener), Somebody Somewhere, was shared last month. Everyone Says Hi sees Nick adopt the role of lead singer/guitarist/frontman, and brings together musicians Pete Denton on bass, Glenn Moule on drums, keyboard player Ben Gordon (ex-members of The Kooks, The Howling Bells, and Liverpool’s The Dead 60s respectively), alongside Leeds based guitarist Tom Dawson. The band’s name is lifted from a David Bowie song of the same title. What you hear across its 10 tracks is high-calibre, beautifully sculpted songcraft performed by high-calibre, experienced players. Not so much showing ‘promise’ here, but instantly delivering bonafide ‘big songs’ that belie the band’s status as relative newcomers. The record was produced by Nick at London’s Snap Studios and at his home studio.
“Everyone Says Hi” is the fruits of a multi-platinum musician deciding to draw a line and start afresh. Back to the same bedroom floor where the first tentative notes were played, holding the same guitar that was played way back when, back to forming a band with trusted friends, and back to booking the sticky basement stages where teeth were first cut. But whilst you can metaphorically wipe the slate clean on most things, you cannot unlearn what you already know. If emotionally-driven, arena-ready songs come almost second-nature, you’d be foolish to ignore the gift you’ve been given.
On the siren-call of Only One, Nick explains, “This was the first new song that came out of me for the album. Whenever I’ve written albums, they start with one song and when it happens I know that whether I like it or not, an album is happening.
“Only One is another love song essentially, but when I write a love song they’re not very romantic but more matter of fact. In this case I’m saying, I love it when you phone me up in the middle of the night, something that’s pretty inconvenient but because it’s a certain person, you love it.”
Nick has long been a songwriter in high demand. Since leaving his teenage band back in 2012, he has co-written for the likes of Dua Lipa, You Me At Six, Duran Duran, George Ezra, and Holly Humberstone, and collaborated on tracks alongside Mark Ronson, Kygo, and Shirley Bassey. Having racked up over 5 million cumulative album sales globally, Nick now focuses on a new challenge. You wouldn’t bet against him.
Album tracklisting: Somebody Somewhere / Lucky Stars / Only One / Brain Freeze / I Wish I Was In New York City / On The Same Side / I Wasn’t Dreaming / Holding On To Let Go / Tried And Failed / Did I Just Fall In Love
Pre-order Everyone Says Hi HERE
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Kanteena, Brewery Lane,Lancaster, Lancashire, United Kingdom
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