After what feels like three long years away from the game, John Myrtle makes a dreamy return with his new release ‘How Do You Break a Heart?’.
Making his breakthrough in 2021, the Birmingham-born songwriter dropped a soul-warming album in Myrtle Soup. A wondrous collection of songs perfect for fans of the great 60s British pop writers, with undeniable hints of a style similar to that of Ray Davies and Ronnie Lane. Nostalgic textures flood though the album, making it an extremely pleasant listen.
The resulting airtime and attention on platforms such as BBC Radio 6Music provided Myrtle with a stage to radiate his inherently upbeat and infectious music.
And as the summer months float in across the UK, so does the release of his new track. Much like his earlier work, ‘How Do You Break a Heart?’ has that bright and airy feel, yet with a more substantial sound; it’s his first song to be recorded in a studio (alongside producer Jonathan Rado) and it’s a noticeable development. The soundscape is a more rounded one – it only helps to enhance the pictures he’s painting.
The paradoxical nature of the uplifting melody combined with the downbeat lyrical content is a fresh swing on a break up song, and one which works superbly. As the song rolls on, and you get carried downstream in the lazy rhythm, the recurring ‘please, please say it’s easy’ shows maybe it isn’t all as rosy as the melody suggests. This conflicting mix of emotions keeps you on your toes and allows your mind to drift away, just as mine has during each and every listen of this track.
It’s a number that should be played more and more as the days get longer, and hopefully a sign of more fascinating work to come from John Myrtle.
Words: Dom Maclachlan // Photo: Larissa Blintz
‘How Do You Break A Heart?’ is out now via Soup Sounds. Discover more from John here.