Tally Spear has been a constant feature on the London rock scene for a while now. Her eclectic mix of rock, pop, indie and EDM is highly recommended and I have been following her career for the last two years. As with others, we didn’t have time to feature her yet on Indieterria but her newest single “Here Comes The Rain” is so good, we had to write a few words about it. Those of you who haven’t heard Tally yet, please pay close attention as this lady has been going from strength to strength in the last 4 years and it seems that her breakthrough moment has finally arrived.
Here Comes The Rain cover
Official bio: Tally Spear brings a new light to alternative music, creating emo-flecked pop that’s been widely supported by Radio 1, Kerrang! and BBC Introducing. London born Tally Spear shares her introspective lyrics through fierce punk-inspired choruses and hooks and has been noted by Clash Magazine as “resolutely DIY, Tally is able to make something grand from the smallest budget, nailing down her ideas with impeccable precision.” Tally’s music is characterised by her honest and authentic approach to songwriting, with lyrics that explore themes of self-discovery, love and loss. Her powerful vocals and emotive songwriting are sure to captivate listeners and solidify her place as one of the UK’s most promising new artists.
Talitha “Tally” Spear debuted in February of 2020 with a digital single “What Do I Want” that landed her a spot on the BBC Radio 1 straight away. Who could have resisted a song that can be only described as a mixture of Paramore and Avril Lavine? The answer is nobody and neither could we. Since then, Tally Spear released at least 10 singles, a 6-track self-titled EP and received good reviews from Clash Magazine (“she’s able to make something grand from the smallest budget”), Plastic Magazine (“fusion of fierce punk-inspired choruses and infectious pop hooks”) and Get Into Her Ears (“an interesting and engaging listen”) amongst many others.
Tally Spear by patheticgirl63
Reviewers compare her to the biggest stars of pop/rock and pop punk genres: Avril Lavine, Hayley Williams, Billie Ellish and Pink. From the newest voices, she is linked to Samantha Stone and Gold Steps. Yet, Tally is not a mere copy cat of the artists mentioned above. Her voice has a unique quality, her musical foundations are definitely not pop, she is a classically trained pianist and doesn’t shy away from writing tracks that blend in heavier genres such as industrial, nu-metal, heavy metal or hardcore. For me, personally, Tally is a full-fledged rock artist despite producing pretty light and radio friendly repertoire.
“Here Comes The Rain” pays homage to early 2000’s emo and pop punk with its edgy guitar riffs, harmonized choruses and American college rock beat. There is a certain vulnerability to Tally’s vocals, almost like she is singing bits of her scribblings from a personal diary. The tone of her voice changes throughout the track: it is delicate in verses, stronger in refrain and very fast in bridges. I really like that, it gives the song some extra dynamics and air. The tempo of the track is rapidly changing too – the verses are slower, more composed, tighter, but the chorus is where the fireworks goes off. It almost feels like somebody is giving you a physical push. I bet this works perfectly at live shows – the crowd can go wild for a while, then rest and start jumping again.
The rock parts are intertwined with EDM, pop meets punk, indie goes into alternative and back to pop music again – “Here Comes the Rain” is a bit of a sinusoidal ride but it’s a very pleasant trip. The production is very neat, tidy and polished. You will hear some distorted guitars but they are well hidden in the background – it’s like the team are giving us a bit of proper rock and roll dirt but not too much. It works for me but I wish we had some more spice. Maybe a true rock and roll shout at the end? Or a longer solo? Or a kick ass bassline somewhere? It’s a tiny detail but then it would have been perfect.
Tally Spear by patheticgirl63
I’m seriously not surprised at all that she is constantly getting compared to American singers as her music is definitely American influenced. She really would do well on the US alternative circuit. If Tally’s management is by some miracle reading my words, please consider submitting her songs to KEXP, Sirius or to college radio stations – I have a feeling “Here Comes The Rain” would fare very well on the other side of the Pond. The British music scene has always been appreciated in the US and many British rock acts are actually now touring America with much success (IDLES, Big Joanie).
The song was written about Tally’s struggles with bouts of insomnia, especially hard when she is on tour and visiting new places every day. “’Here Comes the Rain’ was definitely born as a result of being very sleep deprived and questioning my life choices” she joked on her Instagram. The track was recorded in Cyprus and London with producers INFO and mario_simanovsky (who also gets a co-writing credit). The powerful drumming in the song is courtesy of Chris Barber. “Here Come The Rain” has been out independently since February 9 2024.
Follow Tally online:
https://www.facebook.com/tallyspear
https://twitter.com/tallyspear
https://www.instagram.com/tallyspear/
https://www.youtube.com/@TallySpear
https://soundcloud.com/tallyspear
https://www.tiktok.com/@tallyspear
https://open.spotify.com/track/0L50RQf59NPAFRrmnURekK?si=kUFku_03ReCkdu_AzBzQCw&nd=1&dlsi=1ba6d08259ad4194
Further read:
https://1883magazine.com/tally-spear/
https://www.thepunkhead.com/music/tally-spear-on-the-making-of-imposter
https://www.musicmusingsandsuch.com/musicmusingsandsuch/2023/7/27/interview-tally-spear
https://voyagela.com/interview/conversations-with-tally-spear/
Rita Dabrowicz
Indieterria 