SINGLE REVIEW: PIEN - SON

There is nothing quite like picking up on an artist just as they seem to be on a creative high and that is most definitely true of West London based Dutch born artist Pien. Her previous two singles have both been excellent and her latest "Son", seems set to eclipse them, with one of the purest of pop choruses that you'll hear all year.

Don't be fooled by the poppiness of the tune though for Pien is addressing deep rooted generational family issues and nothing is quite as it seems.

The opening lines from Pien are played out to an acoustic guitar, there is also the faintest tapping of percussion The lyrics suggest suggest a difficult upbringing for her father, at odds with his own parents

"Every other day you try to be a strayed from the past that keeps knocking on your door 

Héy, it is ok, that you had to walk away

To find your own version of life and not what they’ve forced on you"

The chorus is driven by Pien's powerful vocals, first time round they are undercut by just atmospheric electric guitar chords, but second time round the percussion really kicks in to help keep the pace up. It also introduces Pien into this family conundrum - revealing that the older generation now passed and that her relationship with them, like with all Grandparents to Grandchildren was far more cordial.

"I am your daughter

And you’ll always be their son

The truth isn’t a one way street, even though they’re gone

I am your daughter

And you’ll always be their son

You can’t wipe my memories and pretend it wasn’t fun"

The arrival of a new generation seems to being an uneasy truce

"You know you couldn’t obey

So for me you let them stay"

The most heartbreaking couplet comes later, as Pien perfectly captures the dilemma of what should be the prevailing feeling that her father holds.

"When I saw you cry, during their final goodbye

I knew you shared my memories but couldn’t erase the other ones"

Pien eventually starts to add additional backing vocals, the extra layers of harmonies go to make the chorus even more irresistible

The final line is repeated and is Pien seemingly thanking her Father while acknowledging the sacrifice he made.

"Cause for you it wasn’t fun"

It's a lot of family drama to unveil within the confines of a three minute pop song, more than in an episode of your favourite soap, yet such are the feelings that Pien manages to imbue into the track, that you can't help but be touched by the story while you are seduced by the melodies.