Here’s the thing about difficult times: you can’t always fix them.

Sometimes all you can do is stick around.

That’s the idea behind Wayne Banks’ new single, ‘Cold River’, and it makes for a beautifully human second chapter in the Nottingham singer-songwriter’s solo story.

Following his debut single ‘World We Share’, Banks has gone somewhere much more intimate this time. ‘Cold River’ is an acoustic-rock ballad about being there for somebody when life gets difficult; not dragging them out of the water, just making sure they don’t have to cross it alone.

And, rather wonderfully, the song started with someone else’s guitar.

Longtime collaborator James Cole sent Banks an acoustic idea, and the song apparently arrived almost fully formed.

“The moment I heard it, a vocal melody and the first few lines just came to me instantly. It wasn’t forced, it just arrived.” – Wayne Banks

That spontaneous beginning feels appropriate for a song about human connection. The “cold river” is a metaphor for struggle, while the message is refreshingly simple: you might not be able to change someone’s circumstances, but you can choose to stay beside them.

It’s also a nice change of perspective from ‘World We Share’. Where that song looked at bigger questions around community and class, ‘Cold River’ zooms right in.

“One person showing up for another when it matters most”, is how Banks describes it.

And Banks knows a thing or two about showing up for music. Before stepping into the spotlight as a solo artist, his career included work as a bassist, songwriter, musical director and TV composer, with credits involving Robin Gibb, Saxon and The Classic Rock Show, among others.

Now he’s bringing all those years of experience to his debut album, Ex Libris Wayne Banks, arriving this November.

For fans of Pearl Jam, Bon Iver, Hozier, Jeff Buckley and Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Cold River’ offers another reason to keep an eye on what Banks is doing next.

For everyone else?

Well, sometimes a song about simply being there for someone is exactly what you need.

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