JOE’s Song Of The Day #597: Oliver Cole and Niamh Farrell – ‘These City Lights’

The pair have captured the mood of the times.

With only two weeks left until we head out to vote on Ireland's Eighth Amendment, it probably feels easy to lose track of what is at the heart of this debate given the glut of coverage and arguments, which rarely amount to much in the way of a resolution. Taking a step back from that is former-Turn frontman Oliver Cole, who teamed up with Niamh Farrell of Irish indie veterans Ham Sandwich to deliver a powerful duet about the country's current climate. Cole first emerged in the late 90s as the lead vocalist and guitarist for Turn, who made a name for themselves by appearing on soundtracks for Home & Away, One Tree Hill and the lost Samantha Mumba horror-comedy-classic Boy Meets Girl. Splitting up in 2006 after three albums, and reforming occasionally, Cole decided to go solo, earning acclaim particularly for his 2015 album, Year of the Bird. Farrell on the other hand has firmly set in stone Ham Sandwich's reputation as one of Ireland's best and most beloved bands of the past twenty years. With three albums under their belt, along with a gig at Áras an Uachtaráin and once having supported Bon Jovi at Slane, their fans eagerly await what will come next after their 2017 single, 'Bodies' promised an entirely new direction for the five-piece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8wynWm0yao&feature=youtu.be Clip via Together For Yes 'These City Lights' is again, another notable shift for the two artists as they tell the story of a couple who find themselves travelling to the UK in order to access safe medical care. Musically it is extraordinarily melancholic, driven heavily by a stirring set of acoustic guitars and soft piano. Actually, it's so solemn sounding a track that the listener might almost overlook how much rage is bubbling under the surface here. When Cole asks why they are treated like criminals and Farrell wonders "How can it be that I am right and wrong?", their frustration hits you hard. Written by Oliver Cole and Claire Cogan Cole, it intends to raise awareness for the referendum by taking the perspective of both the female and male. Whichever side of the debate you fall down on, this is definitely a song worth giving your time.