REVIEW: Chris St. John — I Just Knew feat. Leah Haley (SINGLE)
Chris St. John’s creative partnership with musician/songwriter/producer Stephen Wrench is paying off multiple times over. His second album release Fly Away, produced by Wrench, advances St. John’s reputation for beyond the admittedly outstanding debut I’m Dreaming and St. John’s latest single, a duet with vocalist Leah Haley, is a new entry in a venerable tradition: the love song.
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One of the inherent challenges facing any songwriting aspiring to pen a love song is the danger of cliché. Love songs are as abundant as dandelions in summer and, at this point, writing an effective new one that doesn’t merely roll over long-established tropes is a tall order. The key, arguably, is a clean and unfettered approach. No gloss, just straightforward language.
“I Just Knew” accomplishes this. It feels heartfelt because Wrench, the songwriter, has likely experienced the same feeling at some point and possesses the unique skill for depicting that emotion and experience in song. It’s a near-universal human moment — the recognition that, in another person, you’ve discovered the closet living embodiment of what you’ve sought in such connections.
It has the right musical accompaniment. The mix of violin and acoustic guitar are joined by other instruments and there isn’t a single note placed wrong throughout the track. St. John’s acoustic guitar and the aforementioned violin essentially carry on their own duet during the track without ever overshadowing the singing. Wrench has given the song the best possible platform for succeeding by doing such a fine job as a producer.
The visual accompaniment is equally effective. Lyric videos are a reliable standby for any modern pop artist and a song such as this is a perfect candidate for its use. The font could have, perhaps, been a little more plain-Jane without looking too blocky, but many viewers will enjoy the choice. Imagery isn’t involved during the video, St, John and his collaborators defer to typical fare in that regard, but it’s undoubtedly potent.
Delicacy from the song’s guitar and equal response from the violin is the musical foundation for this. If a love song is a bit of a throwaway number for other bands, artists, and performers, it isn’t for St. John, Wrench, et al — the sense of stakes prevalent during the song gives it added substance. It seems like this moment means everything to St. John and Haley making it all the easier for listeners to buy in.
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It’s what a duet vocal is supposed to accomplish. The theatrical origins of the duet are even more artificial and arbitrary than solo vocal performances, so presentation is crucial for making a lasting statement. St. John fills his voice with plain-spoken yet palpable gratitude while Haley answers in kind, but with her own style. It’s attention-grabbing stuff. These are two singers capable of pulling listeners close and reluctant to let go. You don’t really want them to. Chris St. John and Leah Haley’s “I Just Knew” is an enchanting ride from the first notes and brushes aside your cares while it’s playing. It’s not overly sweet either and has one of the best melodies you’ll hear in 2022.
Colin Jordan
