Some people cynically claim that music as it used to be, full of soul, passion, and love, is gone. Well, if that’s the case, that’s because Cory Henry stole all of that for his own compositions.

“No Guns” is one of the tracks from the legendary organ-player’s newest album “Something to Say”. Tough the song sits in a pool of absolute gems, No Guns stands as one of 2020’s most soulful ballads to serenade listeners all around the globe. Cory Henry’s rich vocals feel like a warm hug around the ears as he delivers the tune’s catchy verses, enthralling hooks, and blissful harmonies. The instrumentation behind the smooth voices remains somewhat barebones for the majority of the track, which serves the song just right, constituting of a natural sounding percussive track of booms and claps, a firmly strummed acoustic guitar, and later in the song, an epic organ backing track. What else would you expect from the modern-age king of Hammond?

The song sits at a runtime of four-and-a-half minutes, which could be considered a bit long for a song of such folky-soul nature, but goes by far too quickly as the listener will surely yearn for more of Henry’s genius. At the center stage of the entire composition lies the gorgeous organ solo, and what a solo it is. The thing is, we’ve heard Cory Henry go absolutely crazy on his main instrument. We know how much of a prodigy he really is, and he could’ve chosen this song to show off his technical skill, but much more fittingly with the track, his delivery is somewhat subdued. Each note feels so carefully planned, tugging and pulling you with the perfect sort of bluesy twists before bringing you back home to the chorus.

It’s an incredibly powerful musical statement that eloquently compliments the serious, somewhat heavy subjects of Henry’s lyrics. Something to Say is a testament to Henry’s musical communication, and though one could easily go off every single song from the LP, No Guns seemed to stand out more so for being simple, yet elegant. It sounds traditional, and very much a love letter to songs past, but feels necessary to music all the same. It’s a fantastic track that would woe even casual listeners of Henry or otherwise. It really is a song for all. 

Author: Nicholas Gaudet

Music producer and writer from Dieppe, Canada.