Okay, okay. I know I've been on the road with this band but I didn't write the song so it's okay for me to review it, right?! Let me give you some context - and these words are mine, not taken from the press release, so it's a different perspective on other reviews you might read. Frontman Si Connelly, a prolific writer, decided this year to take a brief hiatus from performing (under his own name, at least) and concentrate on other things. However, as it is in his lifeblood to sing and perform, it wasn't long before this side project was borne.
The band name 'H is for Hawk' comes from the same title of a book, essentially about grief. Connelly's music career has been a rollercoaster ride of record labels pushing him to conform - and let's just say he's not particularly a conformist. As a result his once promising career has gone from hugely supported by Sony/RCA and EMI to being independent, and there's a level of grief that he feels for the career he could have/should have had. So at the crux of it, H is for Hawk is a grief project for what he perceives to be a failed music career.
Hello Morning says otherwise. The song feels positive, almost like the opening of a new book - okay, there may have been difficulties with breaking into the music scene in the past, but this project gives Connelly a new lease of life and sense of purpose that he hasn't felt in years. Lyrically, Connelly uses familiar phrases that make the listener try to work out what it all means - is it a lullaby? 'Twinkle, twinkle / how I wonder / how you know my ABCs'; 'never falter / be kind to one another / 1, 2, 3 / I love your eyes' - it sounds on first listen like a song from a parent to their child, giving tidbits of advice and sharing experiences together - 'and when I start smiling / you start smiling too'. It can honestly be open to the interpretation of the listener, which is where I think the beauty of this song lies. Essentially, it feels like it's about unconditional love. The kind of love that transcends boundaries - loves regardless of situation, loves despite challenges, loves at such a deep level that nothing can break it - but told in such a way that remains light-hearted.
The song is different in vibe to others that Connelly has written for H is for Hawk, which, as a project, has been developed on the road, and the songs have been added gradually as the tour has progressed. Idealised as a collective, Connelly has been collecting musicians to create the band sound and the line-up has fluctuated from an acoustic duo to full band, depending on the venue and the available musicians. This is where I have come in on keys and backing vocals, having wanted to work with Connelly since first seeing him perform in August 2022. In my opinion, the highest calibre musician I've ever played alongside and it's an absolute joy and pleasure to be part of this collective.
What does the future hold for this band? Well there are more songs, that's for sure. When they will be released is yet to be decided as Connelly is now working on a future solo project. I would highly recommend that you have a listen to his huge discography. There is not one single song in his entire available collection that I don't enjoy listening to (aside from the very first EP which was heavily label influenced and you can hear how his soul was sapped out of the music, making you realise how good it is that he maintains his creative freedom).
Listen to Hello Morning and other songs with a vibe on our Feel the Flow playlist:
Listen to Si Connelly's other music here: