Thank you winter, it’s been a gooden. Scratch that. You’ve been hell on earth and where the heck is springtime? As expectant sun rays peak their heads tentatively around grey-shaded clouds, is there anyone who can tease them prematurely out of hiding? The answer is profusely – yes, in the form of baroque-popper John Myrtle and his latest sonic sunburst ‘Get Her Off My Mind’.
Putting a sparky spring back in your step one happy-go-lucky groove at a time, the single has all the trimmings of an old school 60s pop number. In good company with the likes of The Kinks and The La’s, the track is a no-frills celebration of hopeless romanticism. With a tidal wave of bright-eyed chord progressions, and that warm and fuzzy feel you could only get from using a vintage tape recorder, Myrtle reigns effortlessly appealing and leaves you smiling ear to ear.
Having parked the single on the back burner for quite some time, Myrtle comments: “This song was written a long time ago and has stayed with me throughout the years, so to finally give it a release is both exciting and relieving! I remember I was listening to a lot of The Beach Boys at the time and just a lot of classic 60s pop, which I guess is what I listen to anyway. Here though, I wanted to do a song that was just a very simple, catchy 3-minute pop song, like a Monkees track or something!”
To my fellow 90s kids – if you remember that sweet sugar rush from munching on a couple of blue smarties at breaktime, then ‘Get Her Off My Mind’ is a similar taste of the ‘good stuff’. If you’re craving a little dose of sunshine early this year, then the bright-sided Londoner’s got you covered.
Photo by Jody Evans
The new issue of So Young is out now. It’s sold out in print but you can read the digital edition below.