From its opening moments, Nico Leivo's single "My Old Friend" quickly establishes a clear identity: a nostalgic, bittersweet soft rock song reminiscent of countless ballads from the '60s and '70s, draped in a steady fog of individually-small twists that combine to bring the emotional impact to a higher, and more specific, place than would be achieved by a mere emulation of the past.
The chord progressions continually start familiar, then twist, usually subtly, fine-tuned to unfurl into desperation or to pull back into a reassuring embrace. The arrangement, that of an acoustic rock song with a spread of additional features such as strings, piano, and harpsichord, has a bit more variety and range than the standard for the genre without becoming conspicuous or spreading itself thin. A curious point is that, on first listening, the song felt to me much longer that it actually is and yet never felt like it was going on too long for its own good.
The high point here is the vocals, smooth and tender but balanced by strength and confidence, multitracked into beautiful harmonies and vibrant backing figures. There is a melancholy to the performance, perfectly suiting the song's lyrics about drifting apart from, or perhaps failing to reconnect with, an old friend.
All in all, "My Old Friend" is an incredibly compelling reimagining of a classic format that gives me high hopes for a potential ep as referenced in the description of another of Leivo's singles. I consider this song a definite recommendation for anyone who likes Beatles-esque sentimental rock ballads or concurrent proto-prog.
