Timeseven – Stay – Single Review

Timeseven – the group project led by guitarist, songwriter, and producer William Hayden – returns with “Stay”; a soft, acoustic lullaby performed by a who’s who of talented performers (from the stage, and one in particular behind the mixing board). Is this slice of acoustic, contemporary adult pop a capable expression of the aforementioned talent? Let’s break it down:

The quality of sound here is pristine; you can tell it was mixed and mastered by Darrell Thorp, a 10 x Grammy-winning mixing engineer who worked with Paul McCartney, Radiohead, and Beck (ya’ heard of ‘em?). So, he has a SERIOUS pedigree, and the final product features warmth, breadth, and a masterful balance of separation and cohesion.

Melodically, the song is built with acoustic guitars, drums, bass, and banjo (heck, yeah!). And the players? Top-notch (as previously mentioned). William Hayden is joined by Daniel Sadownick on drums (who played with Steely Dan, Taylor Swift, and Norah Jones); Alison Prestwood on bass (who played with Blake Shelton, Faith Hill, and Brooks & Dunn); Noah Needleman on banjo and additional guitar (who played with Brett Young and Dann Huff); and lead vocals by Brad Williams (a country artist with major label support). So, impressive? Oh, yes.

Brad Williams’ voice is perfect here – it’s restrained, vulnerable, rich, and accented with subtle quivering and a breathy rasp. Over the quiet but expansive acoustic orchestra – accompanied by real or very organic-sounding synth strings – his voice is a natural fit, and the final, irreplaceable instrument directly expressing the song’s quietly desperate entreaty.

“Stay” is a softly powerful ask – it’s a realization of forthcoming loss, and the trepidatious attempt to undo it, or at the very least, postpone it.

It’s right where you are now, or perhaps where you’ve been.

Warm, earnest, and sounding so ridiculously natural your heart might melt into it, “Stay” is a beautiful song that sticks around as soundtrack to lingering memories of lost (but perhaps still appreciated) loves.

This is a truly moving melody. Highly recommended.

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BELOW: Listen to Timeseven and check them out on Soundcloud, Amazon Music, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Please support Timeseven by visiting them on their website, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.