We Speak Music
Introducing Allyson Whitmell: The Voice You’ll Fall for This Year
When was the last time a single stopped you in your tracks, took you on a cinematic journey, and left you thinking about the little things in life? Allyson Whitmell’s debut UK single, Crack in My Window, does just that—and then some.
Releasing on January 17th via EMU Bands, this soulful Canadian artist brings us a fusion of pop, jazz, and a sprinkle of musical theatre magic. Think Sara Bareilles meets Lizzy McAlpine with a Laufey-esque string arrangement—pure artistry.
The track’s inspiration? A window. Yes, you read that right. Allyson found beauty in the quirks of her old home, a stubborn window that wouldn’t quite close. But as she’ll tell you, it’s not about the window itself—it’s the memories, the goodbyes, and the gratitude tied to leaving a place you love. Cue the tissues.
And let’s talk about the sound! Allyson’s piano-led arrangement is paired with a breathtaking solo violin (thank you, Jono Hill of Bridgerton fame) and top-notch production by Ben Pelchat. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to light a candle, sip tea, and have a nostalgic cry.
Beyond her music, Allyson is a multi-talented force of nature. A graduate in Piano Performance and Composition from the University of Toronto, she’s also studying Neurologic Music Therapy—essentially, she’s finding ways to heal with music. When she’s not composing heartfelt ballads, she’s indulging in 90s movies, running, or perfecting her pasta game.
Concrete Club have always had that thing going on where they’re pulling from post-punk and indie rock without sounding like they’re trying to prove anything. This track takes that further. The synths sit in a way that makes you listen, and there’s this rhythm that just locks in and makes you want to move without thinking about it. It’s the kind of song structure that works on you after a few listens, not just the first time through.
What I’ve noticed about Concrete Club is that they’re not interested in smoothing out the rough parts. They’ve been grinding the Manchester circuit, building an actual following, and their songs aren’t about sounding polished. They’re about real things: what it’s like living in a city, losing track of time on nights out, trying to find something that makes sense when nothing does. “People Like Us” fits right into that.
Rowetta’s featured spot here is the thing that makes it work. Her voice against Jonny Brewster’s, with Kallum Delf on guitar, Mark Demuth holding down the bass, and Jamie Butterworth on drums, it all just clicks. They brought in Jonny McGill to handle the drums on this one, and you can feel the fresh energy that brought, but it still sounds unmistakably like them.
This is a song that gets better the more you sit with it. If you’ve been sleeping on Concrete Club, this is the one to start with. Listen here.
-
We Speak Music1 week agoPaul Archer Unleashes New Single ‘No Fear’
-
We Speak Music1 week agoBrunhilde Releases Fierce New Single ‘Rising From The Ashes’
-
We Speak Actors1 week agoActress Marta Svetek talks ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’, ‘VALORANT’, and expanding her career from Games to Film
-
We Speak Hip-Hop7 days agoNY Rapper Kendu 718 Defines “Gritty” (Single & Exclusive Interview)