VC Pines Shares New Single ‘Be Honest’
VC Pines - the moniker of British singer, songwriter, producer and musician Jack Mercer - has just shared his captivating new single Be Honest, out now via Theory Records.
Be Honest finds the British artist pursuing a more alternative sonority that focuses on bright, contemporary sounds. I am a fan of his soulful, expressive vocals which instantly make the song stand out from others. This gem maintains his effortlessly smooth and soulful aesthetic throughout, and shares a message of finding the light within the despair, coming to terms with his own personal situation and state of mental health. This relatable message is wrapped around a captivating blend of indie-pop, soul and r&b elements with the groovy guitar plucks, killer bass and lush horns being my favourite parts of the song, which beautifully enhance the song's upbeat, feel-good vibes. Check it out below!
Speaking about the new offering, VC Pines said,
"Be Honest' is a culmination of things, it was written towards the end of 2020 - the year of fuckery. So the beginning has this distrust and wariness I think we all had at the time. I wanted to convey my own mental health struggles and of those around me due to these strange, uncertain and lonely times. The tune explodes into this ‘no fucks given’ feeling “now I’m just drinking, sleep on park benches in my vomit” that boils and spills over into a sense of paranoia “street lights are blinking, whispering in code have I lost it? Be Honest.” I’d definitely been burning the candle at both ends when this song formed, so I think it’s a small yelp for help but at the same time, encompasses the nervousness of the youth of this country. Working on this with Tobie Tripp was dreamy, we really focused on every layer, from BVs to brass to flute and then he sprinkled his magic string playing on top. It has this meatiness to it, but because each layer is so in and out, it has this child-like ‘dares’ quality to it which I love.