Sidewalk - take it

We kick things off with a bang, quite literally, as Ciaran lets out a triumphant “Woo!” and the saxophone comes bursting into Take It by Sidewalk. In my humble opinion, you really cannot go wrong with a saxophone solo, especially when it's there to welcome you into a track and immediately pull you into its world. There's something wonderfully infectious about the way it announces itself here, setting the tone for a song that feels just as much at home on a sun-soaked festival stage as it does blasting through your speakers when you need a little pick-me-up. It's an opening that practically demands your attention, and honestly, who am I to argue with a saxophone?

The guitars have this dreamy, almost ethereal quality to them, bouncing around the walls of the virtual space and creating a gorgeous backdrop for the vocals to soar above. There's a real sense of openness to the arrangement, with the instrumentation feeling expansive without ever becoming overwhelming. Everything has its own place to exist, allowing the track to build its atmosphere while keeping that infectious indie-pop energy firmly at its heart. It's a lovely balance between the hazy, almost weightless textures of the guitars and the driving energy of the rhythm section, giving the song both its emotional depth and its undeniable desire to get you moving.

Ciaran's vocals are a particular highlight. There's a husky warmth to his delivery that draws you in, with just the right amount of grit when the song calls for it. He doesn't simply sing the lyrics; there's a conviction behind the words that makes you want to stop and listen to what he's saying. His voice has that wonderfully human quality of sounding reassuring without feeling overly polished or sentimental, as though he's speaking directly to someone who really needs to hear it. And that's where Take It begins to reveal its heart.

Beneath the feel-good instrumentation and the infectious hooks, there's a poignant message about being there for someone when life gets difficult. We all know that feeling of wanting to help someone we love, wishing we could take away whatever it is they're struggling with, and sometimes feeling completely helpless when we realise we can't fix everything for them. But there's something just as powerful about simply staying. About reminding someone that they don't have to navigate the world alone, even when things feel impossibly heavy. Take It captures that sentiment beautifully, offering the reassurance that even when life changes, people drift apart or distance gets in the way, the love and support we have for one another don't necessarily disappear with them.

And it's a message that feels particularly important in a world where we're so often encouraged to have everything figured out, to carry on regardless and to keep our struggles tucked away where nobody can see them. Sometimes, what we need isn't somebody to swoop in with all the answers. Sometimes, we just need somebody in our corner, willing to stand beside us while we work things out for ourselves. There's a quiet kind of strength in that, and Sidewalk manage to wrap it up in a song that feels uplifting rather than weighed down by the emotions at its core.

The drums punch through the mix with real confidence, giving the rhythm section an infectious quality that makes it almost impossible to resist a good boogie. There's a lovely sense of momentum running through the track, with the drums and guitars working together to keep everything moving forward. It's the kind of groove that gets your shoulders moving before you've even consciously decided you're enjoying yourself. And that contrast between the emotional weight of the lyrics and the sheer joy of the instrumentation is what makes the track work so well. You can be reminded of something deeply personal while simultaneously finding yourself grinning and tapping along. Music is rather brilliant like that, isn't it?

The arrangement is another real strength here. The pre-chorus and post-chorus sections give everything room to breathe, creating little pockets of space that allow the track to reset before pulling you back into its bigger moments. And, of course, that saxophone keeps making its welcome return, bringing a little burst of personality every time it reappears. It's a detail that could easily have been used as a one-off novelty in the opening, but instead becomes part of the track's identity, adding colour and character without overstaying its welcome. Every time it comes back, it's a delight for the ears.

Then we reach that chorus hook of “Take It”, and this is where Ciaran really lets go. There's a noticeable shift in the vocal delivery as he throws off the restraint and belts it out for all to hear. The hook feels made to be sung back at a stage, surrounded by a crowd of people who might all be carrying completely different things in their hearts, yet somehow find themselves connecting over the same words. It's big, it's memorable, and it gives the song that anthemic quality that stays with you long after the final notes have faded.

For a debut single, Take It feels like a confident introduction to Sidewalk's sound, bringing together textured guitars, a driving rhythm section, commanding vocals and a genuinely uplifting message. There's a clear understanding of how to build a song that feels both intimate and expansive, balancing those more delicate moments with a chorus that begs to be turned up a little louder. It's a track that wants you to feel something, but it also wants you to have a bloody good time while you're doing it.

And perhaps that's the loveliest thing about it. Beneath all the energy, the saxophone flourishes and the infectious melodies is a simple reminder that we don't always have to carry everything ourselves. Sometimes, knowing that somebody is there, ready to stand beside us through the good, the bad and all the messy bits in between, is enough to make the world feel a little less daunting.

If this is Sidewalk's opening statement, I'm rather excited to hear what comes next.