Throughout the first half of 2025, Scottish singer songwriter Stephen McCafferty has released a run of excellent singles, and here’s another. ‘I Only Want To Hear Sad Songs’ features a distinctive voice, but otherwise sounds very different from his rocky ‘Rubber Glove’.
At the outset, it’s clear that ‘…Sad Songs’ takes a more commercial stance. The core melody kicks off with a pulsebeat joined by bright sounding guitar harmonics and bell like keys, attracting the listener with a sound that borrows from late 80s adult pop. Adding a flowing vocal with a slightly melancholic tone, McCafferty ensures the very accessible melodies remain strong, but its when the chorus hits that this single really comes into its own. Joined by a female vocal – courtesy of Ace & All The Other Animals – there’s actually a faint echo of Deacon Blue at the heart of a really catchy hook.
That’s enough to give this track a classic feel, but those who’ve already found a love for Stephen’s voice will continue to be entertained, as his vaguely mournful voice sounds brilliant against a stripped down backdrop which makes great use of the pulsebeats once more, whilst his chiming guitar tones fill a lot of space with melodic flourishes that occasionally sound like something from The Temper Trap. Eventually, the slow burning tension explodes and the number finishes with a dual vocal crying against a crashy drum part, bringing everything a little further in line with a couple of the artist’s rockier tracks.
Whenever Stephen McCafferty puts out a new track, there’s a small amount of apprehension that it possibly couldn’t be as strong as previous songs, but this is a contender for being one of his greatest tracks to date. If you’ve not yet explored this artist’s work, then these four minutes will be time well spent.
Take a listen to ‘I Only Want To Hear Sad Songs’ below.
If you’ve enjoyed this, or anything else at Real Gone recently, please support the site by buying us a virtual coffee at the link below. The site now costs a lot to keep running, and the cost of every cup will be put towards our escalating bills and help us to stay online for another year. Thanks x