PRESAVE LINK

Can a song be both jaunty and heart-breaking all at once? Apparently so.

In keeping with Leo Brazil's songwriting approach, “No Matter How Dark” originated as the story of a robin but reaches far beyond that initial concept. Written during the end of a relationship, recorded during racial unrest and rioting in the U.K. and released in the face of globally depressing times, “No Matter How Dark” exposes Leo’s struggles and yet still arrives as a relief, an antidote, a great big sigh and hug just when you didn’t know you actually needed it: ‘Near or far, wherever you are, no matter how dark don’t ever lose heart’.

Starting with reflective banjo, Leo shows his skill moving casually between banjo, guitar and violin. The song’s start, heart rending and poignant, resonates with the sadness hidden in the chests of our times but is soon followed by a musical switch and a bouncy positivity that Leo achieves by fearlessly exposing his own vulnerabilities with lyrics like ‘The songs we sang for years, I will always hear, there’s no end in sight, nothing quite right, we are over here that is clear’.

His musical strengths combined with this emotional honesty imbues the lyrical messages with a power that shifts us away from sadness to a wonderful melancholy. This song is one of hope and determination: ‘Stand up strong, be where you belong, say so long to fear’. An overly optimistic message in exceedingly difficult times? No, it’s a powerful one when listening to the song and even more so when watching the video which gives us an insight on Leo in his natural habitat – at his studio, making songs that resonate with how people feel. In keeping with the Alone album which features songs about emotional survival, acceptance and vulnerability, his message magically becomes entirely believable ‘Don’t ever give up, you can cope with so much, no one at all can make you feel small’.