“IN THE END” shows another aspect of Mark Telford, going beyond the acoustic approach taken on “Forever After”. The single, which is the first track on a second album expected in 2027, is characterised as a relaxed, atmospheric piece featuring a broader and more layered production. Even though the song was composed during the same creative period as the first album, the lyrics were intentionally kept back for a different project and thus have a place in that new one.
In “In the End” atmosphere plays a central role, the song representing a distinct shift from the acoustic style that was characteristic of the first album. David Gilmour is said to have been the most influential figure on this track, indicating the direction that the next record would take. Since it is the first song on the album, this underscores the fact that the record can be described as being almost like two albums in one, the second half of it going back to the acoustic sound which had been heard before.
It was recorded as a solo enterprise by an artist who composes both his music and the lyrics for his songs. The song began to be written during the same period as “Forever After”, although it was always intended for a different project. This separation enabled the track to be included in a new collection instead of being added to the earlier acoustic material. The atmosphere of the song shows the direction that the forthcoming album would take.
As the opening track of the new album, “In the End” sets out a clear direction without giving up on the artist’s origins. The way it is structured is different from the acoustic character of “Forever After”, and the intention to return to an acoustic sound later on indicates a split between the two parts of the album. “In the End” serves as a confident and atmospheric first statement of the album, offering a new aspect of the songwriting while at the same time staying linked to the material it evolved from.
