SEAN MCLEOD
Romeo

There’s always been a thread running through Sean T MacLeod’s music, from his days with Cisco in Dublin to his more recent solo work, and that thread is melody. He leans into it again on Romeo, though the song isn’t just a throwback to the sixties influences he’s often linked with.

The title, Romeo, signifies the eternal figure of love, longing and the mistakes. Plenty of artists have gone there before, but MacLeod’s track isn't just recycling what has come before, but rather, it’s a more personal and more grounded track. You won't find him singing about balcony scenes and moonlight Sean is  singing more about the messiness of romance and the push and pull between hope and reality.

Musically, it carries the hallmarks of his style with vocal harmonies that nod toward the Beach Boys, chord changes that suggest Beatles and Motown, but there’s also a touch of something more reflective. Maybe that’s age, or maybe it’s the way he’s always written, with pop hooks on the surface and philosophy underneath.

Romeo is a reminder that MacLeod can craft songs that feel both familiar and brand new at the same time, and that’s no mean feat.