Vance Joy’s career will always be tied to Taylor Swift, as Swift brought Joy to global destinations on her 1989 tour just as his song “Riptide” became a hit. But even with that association, there was no guarantee that Vance Joy’s second go-around would strike a similar interest in music audiences. The success that his single “Lay It On Me” found toward the end of last year cemented his status as both a pop and alt-rock force, and showed he could still thrive once out of Swift’s shadow.
Vance Joy’s sophomore album is due in just a couple weeks, with Nation Of Two set for release on February 23rd. Ahead of that, he has offered up another new song and video, for the spare, acoustic “Call Me If You Need Me.” Maybe the best part of the black-and-white video comes after the first verse, when the song reveals itself to be more than just Joy’s solo fingerpicking. Backing harmonies kick in along with percussion, with the clip still focusing on the lone singer plucking away in a room by himself. It results in a powerful conclusion, with Joy singing directly to the camera, unable to conceal the emotions that the song stirs up in him.
Check out Vance Joy’s “Call Me If You Need Me” above, and look for Nation Of Two out on February 23rd.
