There is something gripping about this sad upright piano, so brittle, so unadorned, as raw as the vocal is quietly impassioned. It's a festival of bell tones, from the wailing ivories, to the deep molasses bass, and the hushed tenor. The melody feels inevitable, the lifts are simple and poignant, and the wide open space shines a light on the simple room sounds of a magical performance.

When the ear hangs on the murmur of a muffled damper pedal, the vocals are able to pierce directly into the heart, and the soul. Richard Walters, with the new single This Fire, taps into the visceral songwriting style of Tom Waits and creates a deep and nuanced melodic arrow aimed at the essence of sorrow.

Richard Walters is an English songwriter and singer.