image courtesy of Natalie Joly

Single Review of Natalie Joly: “Wayside”

Natalie Joly is back in the blog, and I’m going to have to issue an earworm alert! I mentioned a couple of Natalie’s 2024 country-rock singles in a pair of “Publisher’s Corner” columns last year, but I haven’t dedicated a full review to one of her singles since a couple of 2021 reviews. That’s too long. Natalie’s new song, “Wayside,” is way too catchy to hide in a column where you might miss it! This is definitely one of her best. Then again, those 2021 releases, “Will You Ever Stop” and “Yours to Stay,” both still appear occasionally on my #PhoneOnShuffle playlists, so perhaps it’s more correct to say that “Wayside” adds to her strong body of work.

On “Wayside,” the drums kick off with a sharply hypnotic rhythm, while Natalie’s trademark country-rock grainy voice – a delivery that seems more gravelly than it actually is, thanks to Natalie’s tone – is better-suited to the verses than most of the other singers who are also able to hit the bigger, more powerful notes in the choruses. Restraint, though, makes the big notes stand out. Indeed, Natalie doesn’t go to the well too often, and those big notes sound effortless when she does. On this song, actually, they’re actually more rich than big, by design, because they’re exactly what’s called for.

The song itself is an introspective number about succumbing to manipulation, with thoughtful lyrics in the verses leading to the chorus payoff of “Don’t think I’m desperate enough to fall in line and grovel for you back just to be pushed to the wayside.” It’s a very cool release from rising, pop-friendly country-rocker Natalie Joly.

photo courtesy of Nina Pickell, LLC

Single Review of Natalie Joly: “Yours to Stay”

Last month, I reviewed “Will You Ever Stop,” the second single from Natalie Joly‘s unnamed upcoming album. In this review, I’m introducing you to her new, third single, “Yours to Stay,” which drops today.

image courtesy of Nina Pickell, LLC

“Yours to Stay” proves Natalie can deliver an emotional, memorable ballad. The first couple of notes on the piano actually recall several piano-driven eighties hard rock power ballads, though Natalie stylistically remains much closer to her mid-level pop-friendly rock ‘n roll musical center. Natalie’s big, long, powerful notes, where she’s able to add length and power without sacrificing tone, are the closest thing this song has to a hook, though I also really dig the classic rock guitar runs, the key to any power ballad. Power builds throughout the course of the song, increasing the emotional currency slowly but steadily throughout the entirety of “Yours to Stay.” A very solid effort that’s enjoyable on the first listen but increases its hold on you with each subsequent play.

Looking Ahead

Check the “Events” tab of Natalie’s Facebook page to find upcoming live performances. (Currently, none are listed.)

image courtesy of Nina Pickell, LLC

Backstory

It would have been a few years ago – 2018, maybe even 2017 – that I almost reviewed a Natalie Joly live gig, so this write-up is long overdue. I had planned to head up to Chopps American Bar & Grille in Burlington, MA after work, but work ran late that night, so I missed the chance. Natalie has been rising in the Boston area music scene for nearly a decade now, since she was 14, creating buzz and winning awards along the way, so I’ve been looking since nearly day one of the Blog for a chance to share her music on these pages. Scheduling hasn’t yet worked out to catch a live performance, but I am pleased to get a chance to review Natalie’s new single.

Single Review of Natalie Joly: “Will You Ever Stop”

photo courtesy of Nina Pickell, LLC

There’s a rich trademark tone to Natalie Joly’s vocals on this “Will You Ever Stop,” reminiscent of old-school edgy pop-rockers like KT Tunstall – and I hear a bit of Paramore’s Hayley Williams in Natalie raucous pop rock vocal ending – but right from the opening guitar riff this song in particular suggests a country-pop/rock vibe that would place Natalie on the radio alongside the Taylor Swifts of the world, borrowing heavily from the guitar-pop styles of the ’80s and ’90s but with updated vocal phrasing and tempo.

Throwing attitude through the verses and rounding it out with an expressive voice that hit some tonally wicked-cool notes, “Will You Ever Stop” confirms that Natalie Joly is radio-ready and poised to level up in her music career.

“Will You Ever Stop” drops today, January 29th, with the accompanying video scheduled for a February 5th release. This song is a follow-up to Natalie’s November 2020 release of catchy, syncopated, mid-tempo pop-rocker “Running Circles.”

Looking Ahead

There’s a full-length album in the works. And when Natalie has live gigs (or other events), you can find them on the “Events” tab of her Facebook page.