The steady unfurling of a harmony is likely to hypnotize just about anyone who really loves music, but for those of us with an especially deep appreciation for the medium, something like the new single “Are You Lonesome Tonight” by Des Cox is a particularly stellar find. Though created with a bit of jest with consideration to the way he adapted the lyrics of this legendary Elvis song, Cox actually creates a rather fragile – albeit mightily revealing and vulnerable – piece of music in “Are You Lonesome Tonight” that rarely, if ever at all, feels like a traditional cover.
There aren’t any big poses alluding to the structure of the original, nor is there an excess of bombast or theatrics in the style of Elvis, as so many other singer/songwriters might have incorporated into such a recording as this one. Des Cox is keeping the spirit of the classic alive through a new form of connectivity with the audience, and it starts first and foremost with humility (which is admittedly something that a lot of other artists in his position tend to struggle with).
Elvis definitely didn’t put the ironically funny twist on the lyrics of “Are You Lonesome Tonight” that Des Cox does, but I don’t think it’s fair to say that the integrities of the original version aren’t left somewhat intact here. There’s still a poetic value to both the framing and the actual substance of what’s being said in this single, and if you think about just how hard a year we’ve been through collectively, the lighthearted appeal of these verses is a bit more stunning a document than much of the gloom and doom you’ll find casually browsing your FM dial.
You can tell that Cox is invested in this material from beginning to end, mostly by the manner in which he puts these lyrics together without any reticence or second-guessing himself. The confidence alone is something I think a lot of his closest rivals wish they had on their side, but along with the skillful adaptation of this song’s arrangement, which was accomplished without overthinking any of the subtle detail, there’s no getting around the fact that this singer/songwriter has a lot going for him right now.
Des Cox has been on my radar for a long while now, going back to his holiday single “To Wish You a Merry Christmas” which dropped all the way back in 2011, and I think he’s going to see his following grow a lot with the release of this new track. “Are You Lonesome Tonight” continues forth with the same set of artistic ethics and standards we first got a better look at in “In My Day,” “My Internet Lover” and “Here I Am,” and it further shows us just how little fear he has of being himself and having some fun behind the microphone. His is a carefreeness I’d like to see spread like wildfire throughout pop music, and with the right exposure this year, I believe it could.
Levi Colston
The music of Des Cox has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com