While 'Someone' is the better of McDonnell's two offerings, both songs present him as a promising star for the future.
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As debuts go, Brandon McDonnell is off to a strong start. His opening two singles show original flair and creativity and, although one song trumps the other, he offers a strong opener, presenting himself as a promising star for the future.
‘Someone’ is certainly the stronger of the two songs here. The lyrics are simple, yet poignantly clever (“you hate your job, but put up with it/ though your boss is a massive s***/ but you deserve someone beautiful”). The acoustic backing is cleverly compiled and creates a relaxed laid-back feel that compliments the song well, but also allows for the more choral ending to have a rousing effect. The electric guitar additions are also very nice, and give the song an element of light-and-shade. This song, by itself, would make an impressive single for the likes of James Arthur and is therefore a testament to McDonnell’s skill as he both penned and performed the track.
‘Want You Here Today’ is slightly weaker. It does not have the same effect as ‘Someone’ as it fails to leave such a lasting impression. While the lyrics, again, are nicely composed and are simple without being clichéd, the beat is a little more formulaic and makes the song seem less original than it ought to be. The back-beat does not need to be there. The vocal, however, is very strong on both tracks.
On the whole, McDonnell’s debut hinges on a lucrative market. He has proven that he deserves to be recognised as a rising star for the future, with ‘Someone’ – as a stand alone single – being particularly impressive.
‘Want You Here Today’/ ‘Someone’ is available now via Brandon McDonnell
