Music Review for Herb Shaw – Reason For Squeezing

Reason For Squeezing sounds nothing like the title might suggest – for me, the name gave off an image of bass-heavy pop, created purely to draw a crowd. The song itself is not this at all, it sounds fantastic. The music gives off this wonderfully summertime-like, almost reggae style, atmosphere. It sounds great, the beat is light and bouncy, the intermittent riffs and choral vocals stroll in and out of the track – as if to suggest a sunny afternoon in a relaxed but joyfully bustling little town somewhere. Alongside of this musical peace and pleasantness, the lead vocal has such a gentle yet stylish presentation to it; you fall for that melody almost immediately, before you’ve even focused on what’s being said. It’s a little like the way that ‘I Need A Dollar’ threaded itself through all of our minds and lives, the melody and the style of the vocal just warms you as you listen, makes you feel good, part of something – those good vibes that make music so important.

A little later, as the vocal picks up a bit, the music reaches higher too, but not overwhelmingly so – there’s a real feeling of meaning and real life. There seems to be a lot of emotion in the vocal as it steps forward further. At times, the music and the song feels like a huge summer hit, a pop song, but at it’s core it is not pop at all – there’s a feeling of soul, alternative melody making, a smoothness that only true artists can convey. The more you listen, the more you pick up – the vocal tones shine even brighter, and the lyrics come across as thoroughly creative, even slightly witty. Fantastic word play, and just a general sound of inventiveness is highlighted throughout this track. Real soul, but softly put out, so it’s not too much to take in on a sunny afternoon, and yet it’s not too little to just pass by without being noticed.

By Rebecca Cullen