Matt Jaffe - Holding On

Buy Holding On as part of the Matt Jaffe & The Distractions EP 'Blast Off' here (iTunes UK)

If there is something every summer needs, it is a driving pop-rock anthem that allows you to let your hair down and embrace your inner poodle perm. As the balmy sweltering nights finally hit a normally mild England, Matt Jaffe & The Distractions have the perfect summer song with the effusive Holding On. A cantering beat combines with a blistering guitar riff and rollicking percussion. It all coalesces together to provide a vibrant wall of sound that is as intense and urgent as the emotions of the lyrical narrative. Matt sings of a relationship that has reached an end (possibly many times), yet he clings to the hope that things will work out. He's an expressive singer, demonstrating an air of melancholy when appropriate yet elevated by the powerful sentiment of optimism during the vibrant chorus. Music and vocal collide in the thrilling refrain - a tangible representation of the thoughts floating round in his head. It feels as cathartic and energising for Matt as it does the listener; a shared experience that leaves you tingling with satisfaction. Check out the video - equally as exhilarating as the song, a rollercoaster of emotions if you will. Brillo.