Buy The Best Is Yet To Come here (iTunes UK)
Sometimes the saddest moments in life can yield artistic beauty that deserves and needs to be cherished. In the depths of soul searching melancholy can come ruminations and realisations that, when crafted into lyrical poetry and mellifluous melody, are nuggets of wisdom that can help other people going through similar experiences. The new single, The Best Is Yet To Come by Allan Jay is a lovely lilting example of this. Originally written for Cilla Black, Allan brings his own sense of yearning, pathos and hope to the insightful lyrics and takes an aching command of the melody. Set to a haunting piano and elegant strings, Allan sings of the devastating gaping hole of loss when loved ones leave us - and how to find strength in this loss that can build character and honour the memory of those we cherish. The elegiac score nurtures Allan's passionate performance and you really get the sense that he has lived every single word that he so powerfully emotes. And when he is powerful, it is not necessarily that he is belting out the song at the loudest volume; rather that he is imbuing each syllable with meaning and personal insight to bring the message of the song into vivid focus. In fact, it is often his quieter moments of pondering that are the most effective here. If the verses are Allan finding meaning in the face of unimaginable pain, then the choruses are him acting as a voice to the hurting. His "best is yet to come" refrain resonates with a searing intensity and musical charm. It really is a lovely song that has a timeless, enduring feel - and that is what it should be. The type of song that elicits memories from days gone by - and the type of soothing salve that provides comforts for the inevitable hardships in life ahead. And if it can make those moments just even 1% easier then The Best Is Yet To Come will have done its job. Exquisite.
Please click here for more information about bereavement charity, Cruse (external site).