Hailing from Salford, 19-year-old Jace Campbell returns ‘What Will It Take? (For You)’, an impressive new single showcasing the talented singer-songwriter’s melodic and lyrical abilities.
Awash with dreamy guitar riffs and slick, warm production, ‘What Will It Take? (For You)’ is decidedly Campbell’s most mature output yet. The track possesses a distinct sense of feel, its clean vocal harmonies and drifty cadence cultivating a chilled, laid-back atmosphere that would sit nicely in a ‘90s coming of age film. Dripping in echos and reverbs, its tie-dyed chorus is evocative, stranding Campbell’s narrator on an emotional precipice. While the transition into the bridge is handled a little indelicately (I’d have brought the kick in a few seconds after the acoustic guitars: at present, it sort of sounds like a crossfade), this section gives the track some interesting movement and enhances the narrative arc in creating space for a more intimate lyric.
At times, however, it is hard to ignore the sense that ‘What Will It Take? (For You)’ wears its influences rather boldly on its sleeves. Campbell’s vocal delivery is a quintessentially disinterested Liam Gallagher snarl, while the opening recalls a tad too closely Blossoms’ ‘Charlemagne’. Campbell clearly possesses the lyrical and melodic talents to develop his own distinct sound — indeed, the chorus melody here will stick firmly in your head— yet with both artists cited as inspiration, these similarities sometimes make it a little tricky to suspend disbelief.
Nonetheless, ‘What Will It Take? (For You)’ is a captivating release that is a testament to both Campbell’s rapid growth as an artist and to the understandable buzz surrounding him. This is the sound of a young singer-songwriter brimming with potential: the best is yet to come.