Ian Roland – Some Way Of Life (2025)
Already a firm follower and fan (although I’m not going to let that cloud my judgement in this review) of Ian Roland, we have sauntered through varying degrees of folk music with the UK-based artist. A singer-songwriter who performs timeless music with universal themes and an intimacy to melt even the hardest of hearts, Roland has been described as “Paul Simon meets Fleet Foxes”. Earlier this year, his single ‘Craving’ was a shimmering few minutes of vintage folk, and it was followed by a 60s-inspired bounce of pop in ‘Hang On To You’. Today, Roland takes us by the hand and finds a balance between the two with ‘Some Way Of Life’.
Recorded and produced with Jake Skinner, ‘Some Way Of Life’ brings down the tempo of ‘Hang On To You’. Leaning toward a Paul Simon-esque ballad, the melody is a calming wander through vintage folk; however, blips of folk-pop peek from behind the trees along this kaleidoscopic sonic path – particularly in the “woo hoo” backing vocals. Yet, even with a toe-tapping shimmer of folk-pop running across the melody, ‘Some Way Of Life’ is at its core old-school folk in all its triumphant beauty.
Simple and soothing, there is a barebones sentimentality in the charming tune. While Roland strums on his guitar, Dave Coomber brings a bold bass to the mix. James Chapman keeps things going on his drums; however, it is Mishkin Fitzgerald’s acoustic piano that ups the ante on ‘Some Way Of Life’. Bind it together, and you have a song to calm, ease, and lose yourself in its languid sincerity.
Showcasing the camaraderie of the four musicians, things just seem easy with ‘Some Way Of Life’. No overshadowing, no immense contrasts, nothing but a harmonic wave of good music.
In addition to the single, Ian Roland released an official music video for ‘Some Way Of Life’. You can view the video below and/or on his YouTube channel.
Find out more about Ian Roland on his official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Listen to more folk music on The Other Side Reviews Folk playlist:
