Exclusive: Ben Parcell - Painted By Numbers

Strumming his way into the music industry, Ben Parcell has enrolled to the youthful revolution to rebrand the pop-folk scene, injecting it with the vivacity and colour captured in his most recent release Painted by Numbers.  Bridlington-born Ben has single-handedly paralleled himself with the present deity of British acoustic composition such as Frank Turner, Ed Sheeran and Ben Marwood. His 2010 debut album Humble Beginnings was embraced by both audiences of his Northern England tour, and listeners of the U.K. throughout; serving as a platform for his confident sequel.

As soon as you press ‘play’, the title track will entice you in with acoustic guitar goodness and upbeat, soulful vocals, sustained by the soft percussion and piano. Parcell reveals the heartfelt passion of his character and his music through voicing his proactive focused approach to life, seconded by the delicate harmonies of Edwina Hayes. The lyric: ‘Look up high and find that star’, urges the listener to strive for greatness which is an attitude Ben seeks to promote in his own life. Earlier this year he blogged: ‘I’m the type of person that likes to get things done myself, rather than waiting for things to come to me.’ Painted by Numbers oozes with this independence.

Track two exercises Parcell’s emotional maturity, with contemplative lyrics striking a poetic balance with the ode-like melody mourning a lost lover. Too Late to Say Goodbye accesses the inner workings of a broken heart, whilst showcasing the stripped back, raw effect of the acoustic guitar. It seems that Stay in Touch divulges the next chapter in the story, as Ben’s surprisingly placid tone and rhythmic pace suggests progression towards closure. The blend of collected vocals and insouciant, steady guitar chords resembles that of Green Day’s Good Riddance, exposing the pop-punk roots of Parcell’s sound.

Concluding his second release, Love Song extends the relaxed, comforting feel of the EP, with a gentle tempo and enough originality to detect influences of Elvis Costello and The Beatles. With upcoming gigs clustering mainly around Yorkshire, namely the ‘Brid Rocks Festival’ (18th-19th August), we live in hope that Ben gravitates down the country with boldness and determination, for a not so ‘humble’ beginning.

Ben Parcell’s EP Painted by Numbers is available to download on Bandcamp.