Hot on the heels of UK tour is the new single from Randall King "Burns Like Her". After the high octane full volume thrills of his live show, it represents the chance to be able to appreciate the quality of the writing in his work that was perhaps more obvious when he played in an acoustic format.
"Burns Like Her" is describing the pain of not being able to be with the person you want to be with - so much so that it actually hurts. Written by Adam James, Greylan James and Mikey Reaves and coming off Randall's upcoming 2024 album, there is a quality in the lyrics that sets this far apart from your average song, The descriptions are detailed and precise that bring the real aching sensation and pain to the fore"
"She’s a night in California - She’s a cigarette and I’m the vinyl seat
She’s blacktop in Arizona and I’m hitchhiking at high noon on bare feet"
Randall sings these words out mainly over a drum beat after two distinct guitar lines introduce the early part of the song, capturing the feeling of emptiness that is being felt. There is almost a bit of schoolboy frustration in the delivery of one line where it seems a first approach has been rebuffed, which only makes the hearts fires burn brighter.
"She says she's bad for me but she ain't!"
The chorus hints more at the live show volumes and sees the return of those guitar lines and Randall miking an impassioned plea.
"Give me something that burns like her - Give me something that hurts like heaven
That kind of fire in my heart, leaving smoke in my shirt
I'll take it anyway I can get it"
When the band fully kick in, it echoes back to the recent live show yet with 50 seconds to go the track fades away as if complete. After a few seconds the band then fire up for just short of another minute of music as if they had a bit of additional playing that could not be accommodated into the three minutes of the tune yet was too good to see go to waste.
It all goes to set expectations for the album to come and is surely building the platform for Randall King to take up one of main stage slots at a future C2C.