Don't be scared, it was only a dream!
It is fair to say, that in the world of singer song writers, although Ed Harcourt meets with much critical acclaim, as far as the general public is concerned he is a relative unknown.
'Visit From The Dead Dog' is the first taster from the brand new Ed Harcourt album 'Beautiful Lie'. It is one which is unlikely to set the world on fire, but will definitely satisfy the Hard-core Harcourt faithful.
The track, which features Graham Coxon on guitar, is an acoustic based, melodic song, that has a real sixties pop feel to it. Although the track is upbeat and the release seems to tie in nicely with the arrival of summer, there is a darker side to the song.
The subject matter is inspired by a childhood fear of waking up feeling the presence of a wild dog on the bed. Ed Harcourt is tackling the innocence of childhood in this song, that state of mind which takes a simple idea, and sees it twisted by a vivid, creative yet inexperienced imagination.
Dark though this may seem, 'Visit From The Dead Dog' itself is far from it, and on a superficial level is warm, pleasant and perfectly enjoyable.