The timeless love Barry White, Frank Sinatra, and Marvin Gaye drilled into the American cultural character gets a 21st Century update with Michael Wilford’s latest single, “Esraela”.
As a modern crooner, he carries the swagger of his predecessors, but he makes it his own with an indie approach to the lyrics. “Esraela” feels half-story, half-song. He begins by describing this woman as she sits behind him on a train. The harmony is spacious, plucking and beating like a flustered heart.
But as the chorus starts, the harmony stretches, making this moment feel stretched with it. “So, meet me tonight for the first time again; kiss me as if your lips don’t know mine yet.” They’re not strangers but lovers rediscovering each other—Hollywood and Hallmark meet the Arctic Monkeys.
Michael Wilford’s sultry baritone oozes desire. After the powerful guitar solo filled with hope and innuendo, his voice over the sparse keys pulls you intimately in. And as the song ends, he returns to describing Esraela. We’re invited to rediscover her again with him as we restart this process.
Stream “Esraela”, which also features Elijah Quinn, below.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
