Nile Marr is a chip off father Johnny's block on new single "Only Time Can Break Your Heart"

Nile Marr, son of former Smiths/The The/Electronic/Modest Mouse/The Cribs guitarist Johnny Marr, is a chip off the old block, having played on his father’s solo albums and as part of Hans Zimmer’s orchestral tour ensemble. He also makes his own music; he released Are You Happy Now? in 2020, and is gearing up to release his second solo album.

While details of the new album are still a little fuzzy, Nile’s got a first taste via a new 7″ single that is out this Friday, January 7, via Park the Van. The A-side, “How We Drift,” is a revved-up hunk of danceable garage rock, but the b-side, “Only Time Can Break Your Heart” is a chiming, jangly pop number that owes just a little to dad’s signature sound.

“The pandemic helped me refocus my life and prioritise what I felt was most important, writing the kind of songs I’ve always wanted to write,” says Nile. “‘Only Time Can Break Your Heart’ is me doing The La’s, Big Star, hell, even Tom Petty (cue Wayne’s World ‘we are not worthy’). Bands that made me want to write songs when I first heard them as a kid. It doesn’t have to be shouty, it doesn’t have to be loud. It’s singing because I like it, it’s melody because I like melody. It’s liberating.”

“Only Time Can Break Your Heart” premieres in this post — listen below.