MERLIN SWANN REVIEWS.

**************************************************************************

INDIOCLOCK MUSIC REVIEW

By: Victor Matheus

https://www.indieoclock.com.br/2025/10/merlin-swann-lanca-hino-contra-guerra.html?m=1

Merlin Swann captivates us with the single "Needle In The Haystack On The Hill," a three-minute piece of music filled with peace, a song to listen to after a turbulent day. The song offers an anthem of peace in the face of everything happening around the world. The ongoing struggles won't make a difference in the end; we're not only killing each other, but we're also surely killing the planet.
Lesley began singing in public at age 12, influenced by the folk and country scene, by global artists like John Denver, Fleetwood Mac, and Karen Carpenter, but also by more local folk bands from the North, such as Oldham Tinkers, The Spinners, and Fivepenny Piece. Davy, from Denton, Manchester, UK, was also influenced by John Denver's great songs and began composing in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It wasn't until his wife convinced him to take his songs to the next level that things started to happen. The early 1990s brought numerous publishing deals, and in 1992, Davy's song "Silver Moon" was acquired by American country artist   Bobby G. Rice.
"Needle In The Haystack On The Hill" has a wonderful opening with a piano beat, drawing us into the song. The singer's voice brings a soft timbre that carries the track as she wishes, allowing the song to grow and captivate us. With profound lyrics and a powerful message, the song leads us to a strong reflection on everything that is happening in the world. In a world full of chaos and shocking news, the song arrives to comfort listeners who long for an end to all the suffering of war.
"Needle In The Haystack On The Hill" features a growing beat and transitions into the song's rhythm, completely enhancing the atmosphere. The soundscape is influenced by the 1980s, warming our hearts in a ballad with a romantic melody that is completely wonderful to listen to at night, in one's own company, connecting powerfully with the listener.
Needle In The Haystack On The Hill" has a melody that appeals to listeners worldwide, with lyrics full of tenderness and completely uplifting. The song is lively, timeless, and has that question of "why all this?", but perhaps the reason isn't the main point. It's like finding a needle in a haystack on the hill, but what everyone wants is a solution to the war, which, instead of creating lives, is taking them.

FV MUSIC BLOG MUSIC REVIEW

https://fvmusicblog.com/hot-picks-23-9-25-part-two-the-best-new-releases/

Artist: Merlin Swann
Release: ‘Needle In The Haystack On The Hill’
Hailing from Manchester, musician Merlin Swann has released the stunning single, ‘Needle In The Haystack On The Hill’. It is fuelled by passionate performances, heartfelt lyrics and driving instrumentation. ‘Needle In The Haystack On The Hill’ is a single that stays with the listener long after the music has ended.

SINUSODIAL MUSIC MAGAZINE

https://sinusoidalmusic.com/reviews/music-reviews/merlin-swann-needle-in-the-haystack-on-the-hill/

After Two Decades, Country-Folk Duo Merlin Swann Finds Their      ‘Needle In The Haystack On The Hill’
UK-based duo Merlin Swann is finally back to take their music on a flight, once again, after almost 25 years! Their first release after this generational gap of time is a song that we all need now. It is about an endless search for hope in the midst of the present chaotic world. Needle In The Haystack On The Hill is a perfectly apt song to mark the onset of a renewed beginning by Merlin Swann. Finding a needle in the haystack would be an impossible task, as most would say. Yet if the intention is strong, backed up with the focus of a merlin-eye and swan-like-love, even a rye reveals itself.
While the lyrics are terrific, it’s the resolute, unwavering, and heartfelt female voice that makes Needle In The Haystack On The Hill an imperative listen. “Can’t we learn to live, not to take life, but to give? Is it too much to ask of us all?” The questions are simple, but pose them to those who govern, the warlords, and power brokers, and they have no answers that satiate the soul. But the answers we all know too deeply within, yet ignore them because of our divided, unaware minds. “Can’t you understand there’s no winner in the end?” ends with my favourite line, “Just one more dying enemy replace one more living friend.” It is bands like Merlin Swann and their music that we need more of, and are glad to have them come back with a big bang.
Merlin Swann, the Manchester-born country-folk singer-songwriter duo, first came together in 1997. The two kindred spirits shared love for honest melodies and heartfelt storytelling. But in 2000, life led them down different paths. Fast forward two decades, and they’ve reunited with a treasure trove of over 100 original songs. Their long-awaited return began with Needle in the Haystack on the Hill, a song that looks out at a chaotic world and dares to ask if peace is still possible. To follow their unfolding story and hear each new release as it comes, find Merlin Swann on Instagram, Spotify, and Facebook. Become a part of their musical journey as they unveil their extensive new catalogue.

TUNE OASIS ONLINE MUSIC MAGAZINE

https://www.tuneoasis.com/post/merlin-swann-is-spreading-peace-with-their-latest-track-needle-in-the-haystack-on-the-hill             

        Merlin Swann is spreading peace with their latest track,                     "Needle in the Haystack on the Hill"!
Merlin Swann is quite a prodigy with how they started their music career at the early age of 12 years old. With years and years of musical experience, Merlin has developed a unique style in their music. Known for their soothing vocals and serenading compositions, their music has always been on the side of the greater good. Following the legacy is their latest ballad, "Needle in the Haystack on the Hill"!
The song begins with an encapsulating piano melody. We are greeted by the mellow voice of Merlin, dripping like sweet honey in your ears. The lyrics speak out on war, and is it really that difficult for everyone to get along? The chorus kicks in with the drums marching in with the epic string section. The bassline is the underdog of this track, steadily keeping the groove going. The John Denver influence on the artist can be observed in the vocal melodies. The final chorus uplifts the track with a slight key switch, making the track stand out. Give this a spin if you have been needing a break from all the negativity!

NUVA PULSE INTERNATIONAL        MUSIC NEWS

https://nuvapulse.com/merlin-swann-release-peace-anthem-needle-in-the-haystack-on-the-hill/

Merlin Swann Release Peace Anthem “Needle in the Haystack on the Hill”
Amid global uncertainty and conflict, UK duo Merlin Swann, made up of singer-songwriter Lesley Bullen and songwriter Davy Riley, have re-introduced their moving track Needle in the Haystack on the Hill. Written with the hope of creating a modern peace anthem, the song speaks to the futility of war and the greater damage inflicted not just on humanity but on the planet itself. “We always wanted to write a peace anthem with everything going on around the world,” says Bullen. “Hopefully by listening to Needle, people will realise that fighting won’t make a difference in the end—we’re not just killing one another, we’re slowly killing the planet.” The duo stress that the track also carries a message of hope: that peace may one day prevail.
Lesley Bullen’s musical journey began at just 12, influenced by folk and country greats such as John Denver, Fleetwood Mac, and Karen Carpenter, as well as Northern folk traditions. By 14 she was already performing in the Northern Club Scene, quickly establishing herself as a versatile solo artist. Her career blossomed into forming the country band Bulleon, recording original material in Nashville, and touring across the UK. A multi-instrumentalist, Bullen has spent the last two decades writing, performing, and producing songs rich with layered sounds and heartfelt storytelling.
Her partner in Merlin Swann, Davy Riley, shares a similar love for folk and country songwriting. With publishing contracts in the 1990s and notable successes such as Silver Moon, recorded by US artist Bobby G Rice, Riley’s career has been decorated with songwriting awards including the International Songwriters Association Award for Best Lyric in 2000. His collaboration with Bullen in the late ’90s produced Needle in the Haystack on the Hill, which was nominated for the prestigious Song of Peace Award in Ireland.
After a hiatus following a serious accident in 2002, Riley returned to music alongside Bullen in 2024. Together, they are reviving their back catalogue while introducing new songs under the Merlin Swann banner. With streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube offering access to new audiences, Needle in the Haystack on the Hill is finding renewed life as a powerful call for peace—timely, timeless, and deeply relevant in today’s world.

ATK MUSIC MAGAZINE

https://www.aktmusic.com/2025/10/merlin-swann-s-needle-in-the-haystack-on-the-hill-an-enduring-anthem-for-peace.html

Merlin Swann’s “Needle In The Haystack On The Hill” An Enduring Anthem for Peace
With division dominating so often over compassion, “Needle In The Haystack on the Hill” by the Manchester-based duo Lesley Bullen and Davy Riley emerges as a rare and necessary voice for peace. The two channel all of their decades of multimodal songwriting experience into this track that captures both the timeless and time-sensitive essence of folk sincerity paired with the warmheartedness of the country along with a universal call for harmony.
The title itself is a realizable metaphor, a fragile symbol of hope positioned on the unsustainable. Lesley’s voice, delicate yet profoundly human captures the emotional history of generations exhausted from war and grief from loss. Her voice is pure, recalling the era of folk that inspired but with a sobering realism of our present conflicts intertwined.
Davy's songwriting highlights lyrical depth and melodic restraint in her performance. Together they create sonic landscapes that combine intimacy and cinema, prompting listeners to rethink the ways in which humans destroy themselves."Needle In The Haystack On The Hill" is a song, but it is also a quiet revolution an affirmation that peace isn't hopeful but essential.

ILLUSTRATE IS A INDEPENDENT ON LINE MUSIC MAGAZINE REVIEW

https://illustratemagazine.com/needle-in-the-haystack-on-the-hill-by-merlin-swann-review/

NEEDLE IN THE HAYSTACK ON THE HILL BY MERLIN SWANN

British singer-songwriter Merlin Swann delivers a heartfelt plea for unity in her latest single, “Needle in the Haystack on the Hill,” an anthem that cuts straight to the heart of our divided world. Featured this week in Melody Bites, one of the top independent music review platforms, the track stands out not only for its message of peace but for how elegantly it’s delivered. Swann’s songwriting captures the frustration of a planet stuck in cycles of conflict, yet her tone is anything but bitter. Instead, she sings like someone holding a candle in a storm.
The song opens with warm, swelling strings coming to wrap the listener in a calm embrace. Gentle percussion glints beneath, shimmering like sunlight through leaves. Then comes Swann’s deep, rich, and sonorous voice gliding in with a tender authority. Her delivery is smooth as silk but weighted with meaning, each note carrying the ache of empathy and hope. When she sings, “Bricks in the wall came tumbling down, people cheered, candles burned,” it feels almost cinematic — a montage of peace hard-won and fleeting.
As the melody builds, the refrain lands like a sigh and a challenge all at once: “Why is it so damn hard to get along?” It’s a question that sticks, echoing long after the music fades. The metaphor of the “needle in the haystack on the hill” is brilliant, as it reproduces the near-impossible quest for lasting harmony in a world that keeps forgetting how to listen.
By the time the final strings fade, “Needle in the Haystack on the Hill” sticks as a tender, timeless prayer. Merlin Swann makes you believe peace is still worth searching for.

ZILLIONS MUSIC MAGAZINE

https://www.zillionsmagazine.com/2025/10/merlin-swann-strikes-chord-for-peace.html

MERLIN SWANN REVIEW

Merlin Swann strikes a chord for peace with “Needle In The Haystack On The Hill” a timely anthem for a world in turmoil
At a time when the world is so loud with global din that appeals for stillness can often be drowned out, enter Merlin Swann and “Needle In The Haystack On The Hill.” This isn’t just another song, it’s a heartfelt message in a bottle that we toss into the chaotic sea of our times.
With its opening delicate notes, you can already feel yourself being drawn into the emotional depth of “Needle In The Haystack On The Hill,” in an introspective soundscape where melody meets meaning. There’s a reserve of strength in Swann’s vocals, an equal mix of longing and determination that makes what could be a song of small life feel like the very definition of grindhouse era quirk. The song wears the gravity of its message, a prayer for peace in the face of unrest around the world, a sobering reminder that humanity’s conflicts don’t just wound each other, they wound our shared planet.
However, "Needle" truly resonates because of its optimistic heart. For all its exploration of tumult, there’s a tender glimmer of hope woven into every lyric and chord. It’s as if Swann is softly coaxing listeners into believing that harmony isn’t lost, it’s lying in wait somewhere, needing to be found, hidden right there amidst that metaphorical haystack.
On “Needle In The Haystack On The Hill,” Merlin Swann doesn’t simply write a song, he offers a quiet revolution. This song serves as a poignant reminder that despite the elusive nature of peace amidst chaos, it remains a worthwhile pursuit.