Someone in the record industry once told me that the truest test of a piece of songwriting is to strip a song of its production and render it naked over an acoustic guitar or piano. That's when you can feel the full pull of the melody and hear the nuances of the lyrics, he said. That's exactly what caught me about this special acoustic rendition of Romain Virgo's "Fade Away," whose original version is a layered lovers rock tune that thrives in the balance between Virgo's sharp voice and Assassin aka Agent Sasco's gravelly contributions. In other words, "Fade Away" passes the songwriting test by a mile.
"'Fade Away is influenced by Junior Biles' hit song also titled 'Fade Away,' which is actually one of my favorite reggae songs of all time," Virgo told The FADER over email. "This song stands as a personal reminder to not focus on negative elements around me but rather keep in tuned with what's in front of me and where I want to reach, and all those other energies will surely subside."
Watch above, and peep Virgo's recently released Lifted EP here.
