If, like me, you are British or live in England then you may well not follow American Idol. I mean after Britain's Got Talent, The Voice UK and X Factor UK, who has time to concentrate on the overseas versions (although Swedish Idol is always, uniformly brilliant)?? However, during some of the montages on the most recent run of the aforementioned Britain's Got Talent, the producers did indeed play the rousing winner's song from the 2012 run of American Idol - Home by the brilliantly monikered Phillip Phillips. And I thought - ooo this is jolly good, I must get me some of this. As serendipity and convergence of fate would have it, while this was happening I was also looking at the news that the Disney channel is ending Good Luck Charlie after 4 seasons - causing me to think, ooo I hope Shane Harper puts some new music out now (read my thoughts on Shane's previous efforts here). And lo and behold, a quick youtube search shows that Shane Harper not only did a recent session for Deep Well Presents, but only blooming well did a cover of that Phillip Phillips song! Amazing! Don't you love it when that happens? Here's why the Shane Harper version rocks my socks off...
- I really like Shane's t-shirt. When your metabolism betrays you as you get older (and it will my slim bodied friends, it will), horizontal stripes are less flattering. However, I think I could pull this one off (as in, I'd wear it well. Not pull it off Shane. That would be stealing :D)
- I love that the initial focus of the video is of Shane's guitar. This is a subtle but important way of telling you that this should be judged on the music rather than Shane being the latest teen sensation. This version of Home proves he's beyond those labels anyhoo...
- As an acoustic almost-duet, it amps up the elements from the original that give it a British folk music type feel. During the first verse, there is a beautiful restraint to the song that a) allows the first chorus and rest of the song to sparkle even brighter when the pace picks up and b) acts as the perfect canvas for Shane's resonant tones that easily provide the mellifluous flow of the tune. Kudos to the guy he harmonises with because together their vocals are like musical alchemy. Just magic...
- 1m20s ~ there's just a radiating of joy emanating from Shane at this point. His total immersion in the music and love of what he is doing is completely evident & that completely translates when you are watching/listening to the track. This is most apparent during those vibrant instrumental breaks where harmonised "aahs" are symbiotic with the complementary guitars, providing a few precious moments of mesmerising performance...
- This is a real win for genuine, organic music performance. Two guys, two guitars, real vocal talent and an understanding of the raw elements of song craft that allow the music and lyrics to shine. It's so elegantly heartfelt and heartwarming that it really is very hard indeed to resist. More, oh much more like this please :)
- (PS - if Shane wants to do a medley of this song with lyrically similar Barking At The Moon from Disney's Bolt, then I'd be very happy about that indeed :D)
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