Single Review: ‘Still Standing’ – The Roys

12 years ago Liv Carter Comments Off on Single Review: ‘Still Standing’ – The Roys
Rural Rhythm Records

Songwriters: Lee Roy, Elaine Roy

Sometimes life pulls the rug out from under your feet and you find yourself in a totally unexpected situation, needing to re-evaluate and re-calibrate. Be it the sudden demise of a relationship, the loss of a job, or any other big change, it has been providing songwriters with inspiration for eons. Bluegrass duo The Roys pulled from those high emotions when writing new single, ‘Still Standing.’

The lead-off track from upcoming album, New Day Dawning, due out August 28, is a tale of heartbreak and finding the strength, and patience, to continue.

‘Now I’m here/making new plans/finding out just who I am,’ Elaine sings at the start of the chorus. Starting out as self-encouragement, her confidence increases throughout, and by the end of the second pass the lines ‘I’m finding/I’m still standing’ are delivered with conviction. The second verse is a little on the light side, but the performance is strong enough to keep this song on its feet.

The Roys’ signature sound is the combination of their comforting traditional vocals with modern bluegrass arrangements. This single continues to build on that, and the musical arrangement here beautifully chases the lyrics. The urgency in the mandolin lines especially drives this song relentlessly forward, echoing the lyrics’ sentiment of moving ahead and growing in strength.

Life can change pretty quickly. Anyone who knows this feeling, which is everyone who has ever done something worth trying, will identify with ‘Still Standing.’

Liv Carter

Liv Carter

Liv is a career coach for creatives, and the people who work with them.
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.
Liv Carter

Latest posts by Liv Carter (see all)