It's All About Nostalgia, Heart, and Jangly Guitars on Velour on Tap’s Sand in the Hardest Shell

A few weeks ago, Nova Scotia-based singer/songwriter Ian D. Brimacombe released a truly exceptional four-track EP called Cruel Harbour. Performing under the moniker Velour on Tap, the EP marked the project's very first offering to the world, and what an introduction it has proven to be. Pure indie rock at its absolute finest - It's a record I can't recommend highly enough.

Track three on Cruel Harbour is a tune called Sand in the Hardest Shell, and it's been labelled as the EP's "standout single." A jangly, heartfelt, and nostalgia-laced piece of music, it's a song I am honoured to share with you today.

Evoking the sonic spirits of Big Star and R.E.M. (the early years), Sand in the Hardest Shell shines with an understated charm and a timeless quality. And perhaps I'm a little biased, as someone who grew up on Big Star and R.E.M., but this sound will simply never get old for me.

While its infectious melodies immediately catch one's attention, it also quickly becomes clear that we're dealing with a seriously compelling storyteller. Lyrically, the tune unfolds as a surreal vignette of memory and grit - and features evocative imagery that really hits and lingers.

An incredible song on an utterly superb debut EP, Sand in the Hardest Shell is swiftly staking its claim as one of my top tracks of the year!

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