Fans are still recovering from the emotional roller coaster of the previous single, “On the Edge,” from James Parkinson, the genius that is One Cure for Man. But he is not even close to being done with us yet. The first track may have been a delightful teaser, leading us toward his forthcoming EP, “We All Pretend,” which is due September 23 of this year. But the second, will blow your mind.

“The Now” practically screams at us to stop and focus on the present. But it does so in such a way that has become so characteristic of this wonderful artist. The music and lyrics combine to form pure poetic beauty and grace. The lyrics want us to disregard time and focus on what really matters, the glorious now. And the irony here is that the track itself feels spectacularly timeless. Effortless. Fluid. And one that demands a listen far more than once.

As Parkinson himself explains of the song:

'The Now' is a bittersweet tale of how we can all learn from children to live in the moment. In a world of catch-up and obsessions with the past, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to live in the present. Very young children have little concept of time and seem to feel anything but the moment as they let their hearts rule rather than the mind. I wanted to write a song that captures these moments and celebrates the heart and impulse of being 'In the Now." 

Parkinson drew inspiration from his own children, sons Leo (6) and Dylan (3) for the accompanying video, and they took to the task as only children can. By genuinely being themselves and loving every second.

“I didn't need to direct them at all, I just filmed exactly what they do naturally, which is living in the moment. “

“The Now” will be the first track to appear on the forthcoming EP, setting the tone and vibe of the entire album. Casting off the modern world and taking us back to a time where innocence was everything, beauty was everywhere, and we knew that the most important thing in the world was whatever we were doing at any given moment; our childhoods. 

Check out “The Now” below and make sure you preorder your copy of the CD today.

Author: Harley Houghton

Harley Houghton is a writer and blogger, based in Melbourne, Australia. Her passions include music, especially metal, gaming and comics. Check out her blog www.harleysmadhouse.com and follow her on Twitter.