Common Fires is the stage name of the superbly talented and multi-instrumentalist, Caleb McAlpine.

From a dark and ambiguous opening, a sweet and heartfelt song appears. The fingerpicking on the acoustic guitar is sparse in the beginning and becomes fuller as the song progresses. The vocals are accessible and warm with a charming vulnerability underpinning their delivery.

The backing vocals further enhance the soul and passion in the track. All of the instrumentation works in harmony with one another and the listener can appreciate the hard work which has gone into creating this masterclass in song composition. The instrumentation knows when to come in in force and equally when to pull away. An excellent skill to have.

‘Avery’ is quite simply a stunning song. It is heartfelt and breathtaking in equal measures. There are comparisons to be made with Iron and wine in places but make no mistake, Common Fires makes a sound all of his own.

McAlpine says of ‘Avery’, “Based with one foot in reality, and another in a fairy tale, “Avery” is the story of a young couple moving somewhere unfamiliar, and perhaps unwelcoming. In my mind, it takes inspiration from my parents relocating our family to frigid Winnipeg, Canada in the unfriendly winter of 1997 but I think, at its core, ‘Avery’ is much less literal.” We feel this all comes through when listening to the single. McAlpine has a poets heart and we will be spending the rest of today delving into his back catalog.

We can not recommend ‘Avery’ enough. If you want a song which is rich in heart and soul, this single is for you. We can not wait to see what will come next from such an exciting artist.  

FVMusicBlog August 2019