Highly emotional, a song with a message that touches the heart of the listener. 'Old Phone Line' starts with soothing and calm guitars blended with sustained pads, establishing the vibe. A light strumming with soft drums carried through a kick and hi-hats bring in the rhythmic pattern.
Hannah's captivating voice is an integral part of the mood of this song. Magical and passionate vocals with harmonies in the background covering the headroom are truly mesmerising. Silky and variable guitar leaks and fillers fade in and out with a warm bassline which adds drive. Every instrument, along with vocals, slowly boosts their brightness as the piece reaches its peak.
A small impactful acoustic guitar solo marks the transition of the song towards its conclusion. The snare becomes part of the rhythm, going with the flow. All musical elements release high energy but maintain the mellowness connected to the meaning of this beautiful song.
Definitely listen to 'Old Phone Line' by Hannah Strumner available everywhere.
The meaning behind the song in Hannah's own words:
"No one wants to hear the words a few months before the 2020 pandemic at the age of seventeen “you are diagnosed with type one diabetes.” Those scary few words were what I heard and had to deal with every single day of my life. Staying up all night to control my blood sugars preventing myself from falling into the endless hole of blood sugar highs and blood sugar lows.
I finally was about to be put onto an insulin pump, and being distraught finally, I realized I had to accept this disease for life, questioning how could a virus cause such a horrible disease. I decided to write a song about being attached to this insulin pump, being the only way that I am somehow still breathing today.
Knowing that I cannot just sail to different lands to take a vacation from Type 1 Diabetes, I wrote a song, dreaming that I could. This one is called Old Phone Line. Sometimes, the biggest heartbreaks don't necessarily have to be a person we lose, but things that we miss about ourselves."
About Hannah Strumner:
"Hannah Strumner is a 19-year-old songwriter and singer from the United States. She has been writing songs on her Ukulele since the age of 14 and on her piano since the age of 5. She has gained up to 170,000 Instagram followers."