Dan McKean’s EP, titled Never Last, is a great example of how you can use just five tracks to show off amazing talent. The singer-songwriter’s new release is a perfect run of stunning compositions and incredible musicianship that needs to be recognised instantly by anyone who stumbles across it.
If the EP could be described in one word it would be mellow, and the first track ‘Come Back Another Day’ sets that up perfectly. We hear a guitar at the beginning with a chorus effect on it, not overly present but there enough to give everything a pop-like relaxed feel. Despite this there is also something jaunty about this opening track, especially the chorus which is more pronounced and therefore brings out a happier and quite nostalgic side of the song. There is an interesting guitar solo too, using short notes that in an otherwise chill song sounds messy, but in a distinctly unique and brilliant way.
The second track, ‘Never Last’ shares its name with the EP itself, and it is clear why. It is definitely the most marketable of the songs, just because it’s a catchy tune that would definitely get a lot of radio airtime. The jangly guitar at the beginning gets you invested immediately, and the short notes get your brain engaged due to its unusualness. The lyrics are sung effortlessly and quite fast, making them almost incomprehensible, leaning further into that whole chill vibe.
‘Didn’t Know About Andy’ is a slower and sadder sounding composition, the first time we really hear emotion. Being in the middle of the album, it feels like a deliberate pace change, varying the sound with a longer track that has been approached in a more heartfelt way. The title is used repetitively, as is the line ‘I did the best I could, it wasn’t enough.’ It’s this that makes the melancholy aspects obvious as the repetition feels like an apology of sorts.
The penultimate track, ‘New Friend’ is a shorter one, and is much peppier than the two it is sandwiched between. Because of this, it seems like it acts as a bit of an interlude, just a cute little piece that picks the mood up.
‘You’ll Find Peace Someday’ ends the EP in a way that feels like a goodbye, very traditional of a closing track. But it also has a bit of a musical theatre tone, with the chromatic runs, slow tempo and general style, there is something quite monologue-esque about it, the vocals being really central making this more evident. It’s a striking finish that completes the collection of tracks impeccably.
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