Cryptic Nashville Songwriter Nick Noon Delivers Powerful & Orchestral Tracks In ‘Don’t Let The Papers Get You Down’ & ‘Dear Delilah’

Emerging from a time capsule shrouded in the smoke billowing from its door is a mysterious songwriter providing a fresh take on an older, more orchestral style of pop music.

There do not appear to be any images of Nick Noon readily available on the internet, nor does he want much fuss made about things that aren’t his art, though when his debut singles, “Don’t Let the Papers Get You Down” / “Dear Delilah” released April 11th, the world got a listen to his voice for the first time.

So what do we know about this seemingly faceless figure, with only a distinct black-and-red aesthetic and the double-N logo to identify him by?

Well, he’s an Alabama native, and he shipped up north to Nashville to better pursue his musical aspirations, having written hundreds of songs, and is a known multi-instrumentalist. He recorded the pair of songs locally, and they were mastered by John Davis (The Killers, Lana Del Ray, U2).

The lyric video for “Don’t Let the Papers Get You Down” immediately sucks the viewer in with dusty reels of footage from various excited crowds, including what appear to be parades and protests, and bombings from a bygone era—all overlayed in his shade of red. Noon’s voice is even quite similar to the Transatlantic accent taught to actors around then, further honing in the vintage essence of the song.

The montages of vintage footage distinctly matches the style and message of Noon’s song, which with a more upbeat and optimistic melody, reminds the listener that despite the dread we see on a daily basis within the news, one must remember there’s always an agenda. And that agenda is often in the name of money, ratings, and clout. Bad news makes for better headlines, and there will always be bad news every day. But there will also be ample good news, which might not make it to your screens. It’s a cyclical and repetitive practice, dating as far back as news has been able to reach our eyes and ears from the powers that be. The point: take the “news” with a grain of salt, reduce your intake of it, and don’t let it damage your mental health. This is relevant today probably more than ever before.

Some of the images shown match the lyrics as their being sung. “Run from the rumors going ‘round,” he instructs as a man whispers into a woman’s ear. A man is seen knocking on the door as Noon sings, “And when they’re banging in the rain,” as it then cuts to a rainy scene where a huge wave of water rushes in before the line is over. All in all, the cheerfulness of the song is enough to outweigh some of the darker themes it touches on, and the video pairs wonderfully with the track.

Sticking with the vintage theme, “Dear Delilah’s” video features a distressed blonde woman with a big updo in various states of dramatic contemplation, including smoking, staring into a fireplace, and being serenaded by a man on the piano. Within the piano-driven song, which bears similar pacing and bravado to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Noon laments repeatedly, “Lord, I know I’ve let you down,” making it impossible to not see the parallels between the song and its striking visuals.

The track is filled with a sense of melancholy, and once again the dramatic orchestration brings a very powerful and swelling feeling to the listener as it goes on. It seems to paint a familiar theme of mistrust and deception between two star-crossed lovers. There’s a very palpable theatrical element to this track and the previous, and there’s no lack of emotion and raw energy packed behind them.

Self-classified as incorporating “a fusion of indie, pop, rock, and a hint of folk influence,” Noon knows no limits to where his sound might take him. His goals transcend blending genres, however, as he “seeks to connect intimately through his lyricism and music with listeners around the world and help them feel something.”