oh how I love my DJ Fresh + Rita Ora & Yasmin vinyls. plus my signed Maverick Sabre CD <3

Maverick Sabre // Open My Eyes

Originally known as ‘Follow’ for those who were lucky to enough to have a copy of Maverick Sabre’s album sampler, it’s fair to say a few fans were gutted when they didn’t see this song on the tracklisting for ‘Lonely Are The Brave’. Luckily it was figured out that the song’s name was changed to ‘Open My Eyes’, and we’d get to hear what all the fuss was about after all.

It would have been a crime had this track not made the album. It had a lot to live to, following ‘I Need’ and ‘Let Me Go’ as track number three on the LP. They’re too big songs to follow, but ‘Open My Eyes’ definitely doesn’t seem like a cut below the singles, and would be a more than suitable follow up to ‘No-One’.

With a looped piano riff and a heavy drum lead beat, ‘Open My Eyes’ introduces us to a slightly harder, moodier side of Maverick. That’s not to say this song lacks soul; his rich vocals are just mixed in with some rap verses and lyrics which despair our materialistic society. The rap/sung technique contrasts extremely well, showing us that Maverick is a pretty darn versatile artist, and a top quality one at that.

Maverick Sabre // A Change Is Gonna Come (Acoustic)

I loved Maverick’s live lounge cover of this Sam Cooke track, and was therefore suitably ecstatic when I found out he was going to include it on his debut album.

This acoustic rendition of ‘A Change Is Gonna Home’ is the penultimate track on ‘Lonely Are The Brave’ (bar hidden ‘They Found A Gun’), fitting in perfectly with the rest of the album despite being a cover. The lyrics deal with civil rights in the 1960s, and are therefore appropriate considering much of the political content on Maverick’s album.

The song also fits in musically, as well as thematically. Maverick’s rendition of ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ manages to be hopelessly reflective, while still having a glimpse of optimism - a trait that is rife throughout the album. Maverick’s vocals are filled with soul on this track, which is a perfect example from a record which represents a broken society.

Maverick Sabre // I Used To Have It All

Maverick Sabre released his debut album ‘Lonely Are The Brave’ today, and man is it good. I don’t just mean good as in good - I mean good as in this could well end up being my album of 2012. It’s just that good amazing.

‘I Used To Have It All’ is track number nine on the album, and an early highlight among fifteen great songs. Maverick covers issues such as sectarianism, materialism and racism in the lyrics, which are particularly relatable considering that he’s from Ireland and me being Northern Irish.

Backed by an organ, horns, bass and drums, everything in this song works so well together. It all creates this sense of melancholy and bleakness - yet there’s still a glimmer of hope in there. However all of this is irrelevant when you consider Maverick’s voice. It’s just so unique, so soulful. A real breath of fresh air in this cold world.

I haven’t been able to post as much in the past week due to computer issues, but rest assured now that that’s fixed I’ll be posting plenty more tracks from ‘Lonely Are The Brave’. Check the album out, I promise you won’t regret it.

Maverick Sabre // No One

After posting the Jools Holland performance a few weeks ago, here’s the studio version of Maverick Sabre’s third single ‘No One’, after its premiere on the Trevor Nelson show last night.

This cut from his upcoming debut album, ‘Lonely Are The Brave’ has definitely been worth the wait. With a hint of bitterness and melancholy in his voice as the result of an unfaithful lover, Maverick manages to subtly convey a sense of anger and the darkness involved with that over a bass driven, jazzy backdrop. His voice has so much soul in this track, which manages to work as an uptempo, despite the song’s subject matter.

Which three of the best songs of 2011 under his belt already, Maverick Sabre sure has a lot to live up to with his debut album. The 30th of January can’t come soon enough, so we can find out just what he’s capable of.

Maverick Sabre // I Need (Acoustic)

Here’s the acoustic version of Maverick Sabre’s ‘I Need’, off the EP which was released to Itunes today.

This version of the song sees Maverick strip it right back to basics even more so than he did on the ‘Travelling Man’ mixtape. And it really is the perfect song to get the acoustic treatment, as Maverick’s soul filled vocals stand out even more against a simple guitar.

‘I Need’ is one of the best songs of the year. It’s so relatable, contrasting the harshness of the Winter months with hopes and dreams to get us through the harder times. Maverick has such great songwriting skills, so support him and get the track off Itunes, you won’t regret it. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/i-need-remixes/id467964285

Maverick Sabre // I Can Never Be

I’m loving Maverick Sabre so much right now that I just had to post some more of him.

‘I Can Never Be’ is track #2 on his ‘Lost Words EP’. It’s a really soulful, laid back throwback number which lets Maverick’s voice take centre stage. Man, is that a good thing. He has such an unusual voice which just sends chills up my spine. I really didn’t expect him to sound so good when I first found out about him.

The song focuses on how Maverick can never be all that a girl wants, but doesn’t venture into soppy territory due to the uplifting instrumental (and his voice of course). Hopefully this will tide you over until Mav’s album is released…