Driven by soulful electric guitars, live drums and bass, the exotic late-night groove of Paul James latest single These Shoes aptly exemplifies the romanticism and lust at the heart of the songwriting.
Known for his rapidly growing catalogue of original songs, singer and songwriter Paul James has built a name for himself as an indpenednt songwriter, most notably releasing music inspired by Americana artists and acts like The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, and Chris Stapleton. This latest single, however, sees Paul James’ style evolve naturally into the blues rock realm, and takes influence from the slick distortion and stylishly darker grooves of bands like The Black Keys.
These Shoes explores the concept of a man who walks willingly into a troublesome situation; specifically being enchanted by an enticing woman, whom he knows possesses more than a few toxic traits. The hook relents in a slick and catchy blues-rock fashion: “These shoes, walk me right into the blues.”
The new single emerges with a cinematic music video depicting a film-noir setting and scenes from a smoky late-night bar; a fantasy in action – the chiselled man and the seductive woman, irreparably entangled in a moment of pure lust.
Noting a growing catalogue of original songs, Paul James’ music is grounded by threads of identity in both his voice and storytelling. Despite the slight genre shift heard in ‘These Shoes’, the beating heart of intention and charm remains, and as ever, the song builds towards a brilliantly catchy resolve.
The song promises a professional production both visually and sonically, with an honest and recognisable performance from Paul James on the mix, and ultimately makes for a worthy addition to the Paul James catalogue for its alluring balance of the gritty and the smooth.
Single out Friday November 13. Find Paul James on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok.
