Features : Night Hymns Revives Rock n’ Roll in Fresh Single “Blue Bottle”

Singer-songwriter Night Hymns is reviving rock and roll with his latest single, “Blue Bottle.” Reminiscent of older rock mixed with modern upbeat vibes, the single gifts listeners with ear-catching guitar riffs and thoughtful lyrics. “Blue Bottle” is familiar but new, giving rock tunes a 21st-century swagger.

Vancouver-based Wei—otherwise known as Night Hymns—is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter ready to take on the lackluster sound of modern rock and roll and elevate it to a new level. Writing about wanderlust, observations, and a secret longing to throw everything aside and hit the road, the musician weaves influences from both sides of the Atlantic into his music. “It’s only rock ’n roll, but you haven’t heard this one before,” tells the artist.

Before the pandemic, the musician visited San Francisco and found a vibrant city worth writing about. “[In ‘Blue Bottle’] I am trying to paint an audio picture of San Francisco in music and words. But the joke is that I am actually writing about living like a happy fly,” shares Night Hymns. “It’s a happy song to go with the vibe of the city.” The fact that a blue bottle is also a type of fly is an added quirk that gives the song unexpected layers.

“I got the idea in a cafe called “Blue Bottle” on a trip to San Francisco,” shares the artist. “The poet William Blake has written a poem called ‘The Fly’ in his Songs of Experience, and I have always found the line ‘Then am I / A happy fly’ amusing. So when I saw the name ‘Blue Bottle’ I immediately decided to write my own anthem about a happy fly.”

Listeners may be surprised to learn that Night Hymns is almost completely self-taught. “I picked up the guitar only to play rock and roll,” shares the artist. “If rock music never existed, I probably would not be making music right now. Call me the latter-day slacker rocker if you like, but the very idea of taking guitar lessons seems odd to me.”

Generally, Night Hymns begins writing music with his guitar and develops songs from there. For “Blue Bottle,” he deviated from his typical writing process. “The words and music nearly go hand in hand,” explains the musician. “The concept of ‘blue bottle’ came first, but the lyrics were the last element to come together, taking hours to complete.”

This year, Night Hymns plans to focus on creating and releasing more singles, reviving the rock music he loves. “Rock music isn’t very popular right now—it’s lifeless at the moment. But if rock and roll stays, this is how it will sound.”

Make sure to stay connected to Night Hymns on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts. 

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