New Video – “I Won’t Let You Go” – Snow Patrol

As part of our Pledgemusic campaign in late 2015, one of the rewards we offered was to record a video of ourselves covering any song that the pledger requested.  “I Won’t Let You Go” by Snow Patrol from the Divergent Soundtrack was requested by Sean and Sara Campbell.  Snow Patrol is Sara’s favorite band, but none of us in Molehill were very familiar with their music, so it was interesting to dig into this tune and find ourselves in unfamiliar territory.  We ended up really getting into how everything was arranged in the original version, and how, while it seemed very simple at first, it was actually a great example of songwriting where every instrument is playing a memorable hook.  The original tune has a lot of string and synth textures.  Our goal was not to exactly copy those, but to break the song down to the most essential elements and try to recreate those with acoustic instruments. Trevor would play the main thematic melody (which is a distorted synth bass in the original version) on a bowed upright bass.  Peter played on an altered-tuned guitar that allowed open strings to play “drone” notes at all times, Devin played drums with broomsticks, and we tried to boil down all the ambient synth and string sounds from the original into a 2-note piano melody for Greg.  We recorded the audio and video live at Kingsize Sound Labs in Chicago.  It was a challenge to try to take something with such a huge production and try to recreate it with acoustic instruments, and it was also a great way to get to know a band that we had only really heard in bits and pieces in the past.  Sean and Sara, thanks for supporting us, and we hope you enjoy!