It’s slightly surprising that Ravenhall have been so exacting of their own standards, dating back to the release of their 2015 debut single Everything To Me, given that vocalist Chris Brebner and guitarist Joe Ravenhall are seasoned musicians, who had already shown they’ve got what it takes.
Wild Hearts is a classic, edgy, muscular rock song – that’s about seven singles on the trot now – that’s ripped in all the right places.
A gentle acoustic guitar intro barely has time to breathe before a reminiscing vocal line comes in and a tight rhythmic drive – kudos to drummer Damian Hilt and Alan Treanor on bass – starts to carry the momentum of the song and then turbo charges it through the chorus. There’s a rousing but tempered guitar solo that accentuates the emotional underbelly of a narrative that sifts through the ashes of a relationship looking for an ember that might re-ignite it.
The sparks are tied to still strong memories – "I’ve been noticing the shift for a while, the way your hands don’t fit inside no more, and our fingers don’t entwine like before. If I hold you like I did back then will our wild hearts beat again" - but you never quite know if the narrator is posing the question to himself or his beloved.
Great song, great band, great sound. Now, where’s that album?
With passionate acoustic guitar driven songs and evocative storytelling, New Zealand’s Ravenhall speaks directly to listener’s hearts. By embracing an experimental electronic edge, they push the boundaries of traditional singer/songwriter music to create a sound that is wholly authentic and unique.
Founding members Joe Ravenhall and Chris Brebner are both veterans of Auckland’s music scene, with several years of history collaborating on a variety of projects. With Ravenhall they sought to embrace the emotional lyricism and open hearted melodies that drew them to music in the first place. After writing over a hundred songs together, they recruited Damian Hilt on drums and Alan Treanor on the bass, each one bringing their own dynamic personality to fill out the band’s sound.
After spending many years performing together across New Zealand, Ravenhall made their official debut in 2015 with the release of their single Everything To Me. From there they went on to release a series of singles expanding on their signature sound while continuing to build an audience in their home country. Currently the band is working on a new EP which will introduce their intricately crafted songwriting to new listeners in New Zealand and beyond.