NYCS First Impression: Rob Bellamy & Ayla Brown ‘Make It Mean Something’

The applicable time to prosecute a passion in music is straight away, regardless of what you have already consummated and your age. The flair between duo-group Rob Bellamy and Ayla Brown is beyond prodigious. Between the two, plentiful dreams have been made with more to come. In 2004, Bellamy was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers after college at The University of Maine in Orono and after transiting to Nottingham, England to play hockey overseas, decided to pursue music. Brown is a former NCAA Basketball Player and is a past American Idol contestant who landed in the Top 16. Now, she is the co-host of The Jonathan and Ayla Show on Country 102.5.

The pair recorded their first country-Americana debut EP Make it Mean Something in Portland, Oregon. The title track is a jovial, heavy-acoustic guitar-driven tune introducing the anatomy of the duo-group to the world. “Nothing Gonna Stop” trails off of the love skirt of the title track harboring the singer’s amicable harmonies singing: “I’m gonna find the sweetest honey, even if I’m getting stung by bees // I’m gonna sail across the ocean, even if I hit stormy seas // Hot dessert, I’ll cross it // Through fire, I’ll run it // A hole in the ground that I can’t get around // Ain’t a thing in the world gonna slow me down // Nothing gonna stop, nothing gonna stop, nothing gonna stop from getting me to you and me. //

“Always Have A Home” channels an elephantine folk-ambiance with the picking of the instrumentation. It escalates the love theme even further with the tag, “Your heart will always have a home.” The closer “Built That Way” is an emotional, well-constructed ballad where the duo confess what makes them who they are. They sing, “I plant my butt at an old wood pew on Sunday morning // I hit my knees every time I pray // I bow my head when I beg for forgiveness // And I damn sure stand every time Old Glory waves // Yeah, I’m just built that way.”

Bellamy communicated on his Instagram to express his gratitude for all their fellow co-writers and “Out TODAY on all platforms. @aylabrownofficial and I recorded this EP in Portland, Oregon @jackpotrecording. Big thanks to @gusberry for helping us bring these songs to life! Also a big thanks to a few of the co-writers on these songs. @bwhytecomedy who helped us write “Nothing Gonna Stop” “Love Me Like Hell” and “Built That Way.” @stevedeanmusic who helped us write “Make It Mean Something.” And @ellewine who helped us write “Thinking Of You.” If you like what you hear please help us share! Excited to see you at some of our next shows.”

To keep up with Rob Bellamy follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

To keep up with Ayla Brown follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Make It Mean Something is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.