‘Restless City’ might not be a flashy, contemporary offering, yet it carries great aural character and lyrical purpose. Built on nostalgic blues-rock allure and an unapologetic groove that’s equally laidback and electrifying, the single marks the return of London-based outfit JFK Blue, following a seven-year hiatus. Since 2019, to be exact, when ‘Should Have Been There’ was released.
Compared to previous material, ‘Restless City’ finds a more soulful and blues-powered livery, the perfect match for Rebecca Downes’ guest vocals. Downes has been featured on our blog before, and we are happy to see the British songstress teaming up with JFK Blue. The group’s gritty, bold guitar-coded artistry well adapts to the overall vibe, with lead singer Stef also showcasing his smoky, nuanced vocals. It’s a great record, one that pivots tradition and strikes sonic gold.
Delving deeper into the creative ethos that propels the record, JFK Blue explains: “This is our first new release since 2019, and will be the first single to be released from our forthcoming album as yet untitled. The creation of ‘Restless City’ was a full band effort. Stef, our lead singer and a fantastic writer, provided the lyrics; everyone in the band contributed something; the icing on the cake was our dear friend, the amazing blues-rock chanteuse Rebecca Downes, who contributed guest vocals.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Restless City’ now: