Foolish Men – Call It A Draw (Single Review)

The UK Duo is shortly back with a new single, “Call It A Draw,” digging even deeper.

Following the cheeky and sarcastic “My Neighborhood,” the British old-school duo returns with the somber and introspective “Call It A Draw.”

After their 40-year break from music, the mates strike the right note for the haunting atmosphere of the track, perfectly complementing the image of somberness.

The entire song structure feels crafted to keep you engaged by continuously foreshadowing the epic resolution with the build-up that the band creates from the start. Foolish Men ideally nail the bridge from the build-up to the resolution, which later transitions smoothly into the outro. With the perfectly tuned guitar bolstered by strong background instrumentals, the song reaches its highest emotional and sonic peak closer to the end.

What I really dig about “Call It A Draw” is how minimalistic and straight to the point its sound is. In “Call It A Draw,” the duo demonstrates the simple nature of human relations without any eccentric instrumentals per se while accomplishing the goal of delivering a strong emotional tone.

The way I feel about this song’s soundscape could be ideally explained by this quote: It is direct yet ambiguous. It is simple but complex. The song doesn’t jump at you with huge alternative shifts and deviations but instead achieves a level of psychological sonic singularity that captivates me.

If their previous single leapt into critiquing the homogeneity of British society, this time, they dive into the indecisiveness and complexity of human relations, where in the end, we simply aim to reach a solid consensus.

Aside from the haunting and memorable instrumentals, the vocalist adds another layer to the track, immersing you in this environment of uncertainty and making you experience a diverse gamma of emotions. With the raw aesthetic and somewhat dry-ish vocals, the singer achieves an ideal mix of rhythm and spoken-word delivery. This mixture not only provides a solid foundation within the song but also gives the vocalist a platform to illuminate his doubts about particular highs and lows in life.

SCORE/GOOD: I really like this venture from the “old dogs.” It feels like a melancholic yet refreshing addition to their catalogue, offering a great mix of haunting atmosphere and solid execution from both sides of the wall. A good track.

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