Johnny McCore’s brand new single “So Sad” has been carefully crafted and enveloped with emotion. It is a steady and assured love ballad, fans of classic rock and pop are sure to love. There is a relaxing and warming beginning to the record. The bluesy guitar crunch is most prominent, and is one of the stars of song, alongside McCore’s touching melodic narrative, which twists and winds alongside the questioning lyrics: “Ordinary evening, starts to rain. I think about my girl, and I’m in pain. I’m waiting for a moment she will come. I’m hoping that I meant to do no harm.”

The kind of music Johnny McCore is making here leans itself to inward looking emotions, vulnerability and humility. I find that with focus of his lyrics, the rest of the song follows ever so naturally to form a superbly poignant track. The warm trudge of the slow burning beat alongside McCore’s most sincere and sentimental lyrics helps to forge an indelible mark for the record to leave upon listeners.

Johnny McCore is singular as an artist in this modern era; his work is highly original while also reviving some of the greatest traditions in rock and pop.

The evocative “So Sad” features melodious instrumentation with a languid, measured beat, as McCore leads us to the big emotional payoff: “I dreamed, but I was woken by the knock. Then I came to the door and turned the lock. I looked into her eyes and she was crying. And then I realized that she is mine.”

The lush, dreamlike acoustic guitars help transport listeners through a whimsical, passionate and uplifting storyline, as Johnny McCore sets up the soaring chorus and his soulful guitar solo which follows.

The rising, crescendo musical backing to the chorus and the solo is striking as it rises above the mainstay of the song. “So Sad” attests to the fact that McCore is a decidedly thoughtful artist who shares a great deal of craft and consideration when it comes to scoping out his songs.

“So Sad” captures a shared sense of both isolation and optimism with a melody that soars assuredly, building on an ornate orchestration that allows the song to ebb and flow with a depth of determination that leaves behind a formidable impression even after the final notes fade away.

The sound pallet for “So Sad” is immense and expansive, but never suffers from the aimless wandering that plagues many artists working in this same genre.

Johnny McCore (AKA Ivan Kosyakov) is currently located in New York, NY, where he started presenting his own songs to the public. During his school and university years he sang and played guitar both in groups, and as a solo artist. Later he went on to dedicate number of years studying, Latin other dancing styles.

Influenced by The Beatles, Paul McCartney, Sheryl Crow and others, Johnny is currently working on multiple songs – some of which were initially created a long time ago, and others which are brand new.  Johnny McCore’s new release, “So Sad” may just be one song, but it promises to be part of a growing collection of music that’s sonically interesting, emotionally stirring, and exquisitely crafted.

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