Following the June release of “Story of You and Me,” The Hails released their slinky, moody new single “Fool” on July 25. The song is a musical tonic that’s some parts pop, some parts groovy, and all parts rocking.
Fool’s Background
The band gravitated towards D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” and Maroon 5’s ‘Songs About Jane’ as the single’s sonic reference. This inspiration tracks sonically, especially with the song’s slow, romantic, and easygoing vibe. Moreover, “smooth” is the best description of the track’s overall aesthetic.
Robert “Robbie” Kingsley and Franco Solari, the band’s vocalists, shared some words that offer a deeper look at the inspiration and background. Solari shared, “‘Fool’ speaks to when we choose to play the fool in our relationships, deceiving ourselves about truths about our partner that we choose to deny, even though we may know better.”
Robbie painted the scene that song lives in when commenting on the Fool’s production. He said, “‘Fool’ makes you feel like you’ve walked into a leopard-print room with your best leather jacket on and been greeted by a waitress holding a martini. You think you’ve made it to heaven, but she ends up throwing the drink in your face just for the hell of it. But you kind of like that.”
The Sonic Sound of “Fool”
“Fool” kicks off with a punchy pop drum groove with R&B flair provided by drummer Zach Levy. Dylan McCue‘s and Franco Solari’s flanged and swelling guitar riffs accompany the drums in the intro. They instantly set the song’s smooth and slow-dance-esque soundscape. Andre Escobar joins in to add weight to the track with simple and effective bass lines.
It doesn’t take long for Franco to strengthen the vibe with his vocals, adding a richness to the track. His vocals give way for the band’s lead singer, Robbie Kingsley, to enter smoothly.
Robbie takes over for the rest of the song at this point, with Franco providing backing vocals. He provides his signature countertenor vocals that lift the vibe of the track as they complement Franco’s tenor tones. The two have a serpentine ability to play off each other, guided by the grooving bass line and soft guitar riffs.
It doesn’t take long for the chorus to hit. With power, Robbie’s ballad-esque vocals come in swinging. Franco cuts in on the chorus’ second line and the two take turns singing. The chorus is packed with emotion that comes to life through the vocals.
After the second verse, the song crescendos into a reverb-washed chorus. Robbie and Franco’s vocals flood the soundscape with harmonic wails. Their vocals dance with each other with vigor and strength. The guitars and Warm tones wash over the song in hazy dream pop vibes.
Maintaining the hazy soundscape, “Fool” ends with the instruments playing out the rest of the song. Touches of vocal runs and murmured lines adorn the outro before the song fades on a repeated earlier verse.
LA-based producer Brandon Shoop headed the recording and production for “Fool.” His production repertoire is full of popular artists including Dijon, Syd, and Lucky Dane.
Keeping Up with The Hails
Following a string of encounters too strange to be a coincidence, Robbie Kingsley, Franco Solari, Dylan McCue, and Zach Levy came together to form The Hails. An insular Miami high school scene served as a waypoint to their official formation at the University of Florida. Recently, the band members relocated to Florida from all over the US to focus on music. That focus developed the definitive sound for ‘Story of You and Me’ and ‘Fool.’
The Hails will head out on their headline Duckpond tour with highlights that include Elsewhere in Brooklyn, NY, Echoplex in LA, and a triumphant return to their home state of Florida for shows in Miami and Tampa. All upcoming tour dates are here.
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