From Frank Sinatra to Alicia Keys, New York City is a place that has never stopped inspiring songs to be written about it.
By Graeme Smith
The latest to join that distinguished list is Alwyn Morrison who makes his performing debut with his ode, The City. Though undoubtedly about the city on the Eastern seaboard of the United States, Alwyn is quick to point out that the sentiments expressed in his track could be about any urban environment.
“It could be any of those cities that people are drawn to,” he explains. “Some places just have an inexplicable energy. When I sat down to write the lyrics, I wanted to create something that wasn’t just my story, but something that anyone who’s struggled or felt lost, or lonely, could relate to.”
There really is no place like the heart of a city, and each has its own character. Compare New York to our very own (old) York and the contrast is striking. Yet, there aren’t quite as many songs written about our Yorkshire home (if you know any, answers on a postcard). The American metropolis, once known as New Amsterdam and often referred to as The Big Apple, has inspired more than most.
What is it about the place? And how much did Alywn have Ol’ Blue Eyes and others in mind when penning The City?
“It’s impossible not to be inspired by New York, New York and Empire State of Mind,” he says. “Every day I step outside and hear those songs playing from the pedicabs. There are so many fantastic songs about this city, and exactly about this spirit of perseverance in the face of adversity, that all New Yorkers experience. There’s this sense that everyone is always going through something or chasing something, and a lingering desire to never leave. A feeling that’s hard to put into words. It’s the City of Dreams, after all.”
He has undisputedly captured the essence of it with his song. A lively percussive intro gets things going before a cantering pop rock arrangement drives us forward. You get a sense of navigating New York’s busy, lonely streets as you listen, looking up at its towering skyscrapers.
Once Alywn’s expressive vocals come in, you’re hooked, and a catchy, chanting chorus seals the deal. It’s a strikingly memorable composition for a debut. Others could put out music for years and not get close to it. Alwyn’s easy charm certainly helps, as well as a devotion to classic songwriting elements, like a killer guitar solo leading into a powerful breakdown.
It all leads to a crescendo that gradually builds before arriving at a lingering close. Wonderful stuff.
For all this talk of the East Coast, it was surprising to learn that the track was actually put to record in Los Angeles on the West.
“I wrote the song with Mike Ales, a phenomenal musician, and recorded the track in Los Angeles with my friend and producer, Michael Carey,” Alywn explains. “I love how collaborative music can be. Even though I write most of my songs on my own, I often end up working with incredible friends and collaborators, and I just watch in awe as they bring their own creativity into the mix. Those moments are always so special to me.”
Collaboration was certainly the name of the game for The City. Along with working with ‘the Micheals,’ Alywn got some of his songwriting inspiration from friends and others.
“I began asking my closest friends how they would describe New York in just one sentence, or why they were here. And the more I asked, the more I realized there’s no one definitive answer. Yet, everyone wanted to stay. It’s different for everyone, and that complexity is part of what makes the city so powerful.”
It’s a sentiment that filters through to the track’s video, which sees New Yorkers holding up confessional signs that express their emotional state while getting by in the city. It’s perhaps a video that only could have been pulled together there.
“I was a little unsure at first… wondering if people would want to get involved. But Denice [Flores, Alywn’s friend], who’s photographed so many people on the streets of New York, just looked at me and said, ‘Don’t worry. New Yorkers will do it’,” Alywn says.
“For me, those visuals really brought the song’s message to life. It’s not just about romantic heartbreak, but the kind of pain that cuts across all walks of life…. Pain that doesn’t care about age, background, or status. We all have our struggles, we all carry something heavy.”
And I have to agree, there’s an almost Dylan-esque quality to the video, folksy in its depiction of the everyday while interspersing the concept with shots of the city and Alywn’s charismatic performance.
Alywn was always a musical person, starting in percussion on xylophone in the school orchestra and tambourine during his college days. His early career saw him make a foray into music journalism where he was awarded the opportunity to interview Grammy-winner Esperanze Spalding and producer Jack Antonoff. I asked Alywn how being a journalist compared to being an artist.
“They’re nothing alike, except for the shared passion for music. I was in college when I had the opportunity to work for a music outlet, and I was thrilled by the chance to write about music and meet world-class musicians up close. But songwriting is what ultimately led me to pursue music as a career.”
His sound is shaped by obvious pop influences like P!nk, Robbie Williams, and Sia, but also less obvious ones coming from the world of rock and country – Oasis, Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams, John Denver, and Kelsea Ballerini to name a few.
Yet it was personal challenges that truly sculpt his lyrics. And he has shows no signs of looking back. After this impressive debut, he’s already planning his new release. Lenox Hill, a synth-led power pop ballad, is set to land with up on Valentine’s Day.
It’s not often I’m inspired to write so much about a debut, but I’m certainly making an exception in Alwyn Morrison’s case. It’s possible that we’ll look back on The City as the first step to a highly successful career in music. He’s certainly got everything it takes. I’m looking forward to hearing Lenox Hill and all that’s to come after. In the meantime, I’m sure I’ll be returning to the track and video that started it all many times.
The City is out now.
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