Peter McPoland Finds Himself Again in the Embrace of 'News at 9'
"Don’t call me home again, I know the dam is gone."
I remember reading a quote about leaving being the absolute hardest thing to do - but once you do it, it's the easiest thing in your life. Whether it be a place, a person, or even an idea, "goodbye" will never not be a bittersweet moment. Peter McPoland's latest single "News at 9," a three minute masterpiece capturing the emotions that resurface when you realize - finally - it is time to cut the cord and move forward.
"News at 9" sounds like a memory. Distant sirens, piano chords, and soft static evoke the sensation of sitting in a moving car through a busy city on a rainy day, looking out the window at flashing lights that fade into one another. The world looks a little blurry, but somehow, there is beauty in the chaos of it all. As McPoland sings about love and loss, the track's folk-pop instrumentation intensifies into an orchestra of overwhelmingly powerful sounds.
I need to dedicate an entirely new paragraph to McPoland and his voice because a single sentence does not do the singer-songwriter justice. McPoland put his everything, and more, into "News at 9" - his vocals, combined with the production, creates a powerful listening experience. He has the unique capability to fully convey his emotions in such a way that the listener can feel exactly what he felt while writing and recording the song. Seriously - by the end of the last verse your heart will be pounding out of your chest - and if it isn't, I would consider seeking medical attention. I am constantly amazed by how much of his authentically, raw self he puts into his music. McPoland does not just sing: he feels, he cares, and he performs.
"I have never cared for a song the way I care for this song. I have never wanted for a song, the way I want for this song. I have never been so truly passionate in every aspect of a song, as I am for this song. If I am myself again, it is because of this song," shares McPoland.
Alongside the release of "News at 9" is its official music video, directed by Jasper Soloff, we watch McPoland, dressed in a white button up and black tie, wander around a packed up office space. Surrounding him are cardboard boxes labeled with figments of his past - Juliet, Jack, the Woodlands - perhaps as a way to acknowledge the past in order to move from it. Through its deep blue and warm red lighting, the music video visualizes the intense emotions felt through this track. While the scenery and the storyline are seemingly simple, Soloff captures McPoland in such a way that serves "News at 9" the justice it deserves.
Watch the "News at 9" video below:
