Jukebox the Ghost frontman Ben Thornewill steps back into the solo spotlight with ‘Like a Stone’, the infectious first single from his newly announced second studio album 'Old Friends'.
Right from the off, ‘Like a Stone’ immediately demonstrates the melodic instincts that have made him such an enduring presence in modern piano-pop. Bright instrumental hooks and cascading vocal layers give the track a wonderfully animated surface, with touches of Paul Simon and Haruomi Hosono feeding into its playful arrangement.
Beneath that exuberance, however, sits a far more complicated story. He uses the image of a stone being rolled around in somebody’s hand to capture a loss of personal agency, exploring emotional paralysis, blame and the temptation to numb yourself when life feels beyond your control. The contrast between those ideas and the song’s energetic delivery makes for an especially compelling return.
Have a listen to 'Like a Stone' in the player below.