Tadhg Daly’s coming of age anthem Hit The Ground – Review

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By Jack

Jersey boy Tadhg Daly’s new single represents what he calls “re-birth”, and that is pretty apt. ‘Hit The Ground’ is a coming-of-age tune that serves as a soundtrack for the moment in every young person’s life when they realise family is the most important thing in the world.

When you’re a teenager you can’t stand your parents: they make you go to bed, eat your greens, attend school, and other things that are beneficial to your health & wellbeing.

When you grow up a bit – move out, go to uni, whatever – you realise you were wrong. You feel a bit iffy about being so difficult, and you realise you won’t have them forever, and that maybe you were a bit of a shit.

‘Hit the Ground’ is essentially that revelation. It’s about a young person looking out at the world full of excitement and nerves and anticipation, and feeling the unconditional love and support of their parents behind.

This has the feeling of calm, it feels like a moment of clarity – with washes of sound that rarely isolate a single instrument. Gently picked guitar and piano pale together in a soothing mist, with the wallop of snare drum the only thing that draws attention from Tadhg’s folky burr.

“I’m ready to live now” is the lyric which defines the song – it captures the galloping, headlong rush of the chorus and the bittersweet central message. This is indie-pop gold, a deeply affecting and authentic ode to parents and growing up.