Discover Will Allen’s coming-of-age acoustic track ‘Are You Ready?’.
Will Allen – Are You Ready?
‘Take me, sixteen, black jeans, long sleeves…’ opens ‘Are You Ready?’ by Will Allen. It sets the stage for this coming-of-age story, where Allen recounts the various stages and lessons he’s been through in his – admittedly still young – life. Nevertheless, it’s something a lot of young listeners will relate to, as they navigate their 20s and all that comes with it.
Will Allen is a Plymouth-based indie pop singer-songwriter. With a 2020 EP and a handful of singles, he’s gearing up for his next EP and the next phase of his career.
‘Are You Ready?’is a pacey acoustic track full to the brim with heartfelt emotions and lessons learned.
Allen’s confessional lyrics recount being ‘unseen every day at school, no one cares about the guy following the rules’, then shift to his university days where he was ‘working so hard that I lost track’, then finally bidding farewell to ‘the best friends I’ve ever known’ as he presumably moves on to chase his dreams. There are some wry lines here, like ‘Even if I can’t finish what’s in your cider can’, as well as some interesting observations – ‘our culture teaches to put ourselves first, but when I did that, things only got worse’. There are endearing, unashamedly big emotions here, as he declares himself ready for love and whatever life throws at him. The melodies veer between classic pop and staccato early Ed Sheeran sing-rapping, with the ‘lost in the middle’ hook being memorable.
It’s a stripped-back track, featuring some tight harmonies and insistent guitar, and Allen’s natural, youthful vocals. It’s a bit unpolished at times but can be forgiven for its spirit. Fans looking for their next lyric-heavy singer-songwriter could do a lot worse.
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Words Eden Tredwell
