Jack Jones – ‘Jack Jones’ album review: a sincere blend of electronica and pure poetry
THE SKINNY: Most British indie fans know Jack Jones as the frontman of Welsh cult heroes Trampolene or as the lead guitarist of Pete Doherty and the Puta Madres. However, on his self-titled debut album, he is Jack Jones, the human, plainly conveying a mesh of very real thoughts and emotions. Teaming up with production whizz Adam French, he produces a collection of 11 all-encompassing tracks that juxtapose the frankness of his poetry with heady club abandon, an experimental but compelling marriage.
There’s a lot to be said about the lyrical content of the album. Jones made his name as the wordsmith behind Trampolene, and his literature is so accomplished that in 2016, he was personally invited by Doherty and Carl Barât to regale audiences before The Libertines took the stage. Yet, on the new album, the Jones we find is not the open-eyed whipper-snapper blinded by the lights of creative triumph, but an experienced, almost world-weary man, with him using the record as a form of catharsis, to put drug use, mental and physical illness, breakups and panic attacks into perspective, and regret to bed.
Before diving in, Jack Jones really is one of those albums that you don’t know what to expect. Yet, for those who have lived a full life, naturally complete with as many crushing lows as there have been searing highs, it will resonate deeply, as Jones weaves intensely sincere personal but universal tales. Offered a different musical backdrop to what he or his fans are used to, this fresh environment fits his style perfectly, even if it seems at spiritual odds with the artistic context in which he made his name.
Musically, the album is remarkably accomplished, full of heady club bangers that prompt a sense of irony given that Jones is now clean and sober. Yet, this eclectic and all-encompassing musical backdrop can be seen as something more akin to the swelling rush of emotions that people with such active minds as the songwriter’s experience, as Jones takes us deep on a ride into his mind’s eye, and one that we’re all better off for as we emerge out the other side, with a more rounded perspective.
For fans of: The Streets, self-improvement, and moving out of the city once and for all.
A concluding comment from my psychiatrist: “It’s alright, son, you know this is just music, right?”
Jack Jones track by track:
Release: September 20th | Label: Strap Originals | Producer: Adam French
‘Make It So’: A deeply atmospheric, cinematic and captivating way to open the album. The dark angle of this one pulls you in quickly, as the electronic textures, Jones’ wordplay and delivery act as one throughout, keeping the experience immersive. [4/5]
‘Breathe’: The second stop picks up the baton from where the opener left. A track that delves into Jones’ personal travails, from drug use to panic attacks, this frank reminder to himself to keep calm and take a deep breath has tremendous universal appeal, and great resonance for those who have experienced such issues. The chorus is contagious. [4/5]
‘Gladys’: This is another track that toes the line between pure melancholy and outright euphoria, and sees Jones continue to excel. The Tramoplene frontman constructs an immensely catchy sonic palette, which is capped off by his incredibly potent words. [4/5]
‘Peaches Out Of Reach’: “Maybe I should have died young,” Jones starkly posits during the chorus of the fourth stop. It is a track that delves more into despair and regret, and is saved from being exceptionally depressing with its full-frontal renderings of the carefree past by the songwriter mentioning the life-affirming things he wouldn’t have experienced if he had passed on before his time. [4/5]
‘The Mountains (You & I)’: Another song that touches on something deep within, and another extremely potent chorus. Jones is exceptional in poetry and delivery here, with the all-encompassing, subby electronic blend propping him up also brilliant. [4/5]
‘Who Let The Bass Pump Through The Floor’: A more comedic story is woven by Jones here, who takes a break from the more sincere angle of the record for a moment as he provides a thudding club number. Featuring an excellent description of a Little Britain known to all of us from working-class backgrounds, brimming with black humour and a huge chorus, it makes you wonder why this one hasn’t made more of a cultural impact. [4/5]
‘MDMA Day’: Back to the prismatic, reflective electronica. Here, Jones seems to fade into the Metaverse on the titular ecstasy-filled day, where nothing seems real, and you move ever further from yourself. It’s a song that will undoubtedly bring back gauche core memories for many of us who have spent days behind closed curtains in a timeless bubble, wide-eyed and loose-tongued. [4/5]
‘Dumb Phone’: This features some of the most affecting music on the record, and contains a tangible grit that makes it stand out. Super dark and narcotic, Jones’ resounding lyrics provide yet another counterpoint to the music, as both sides work together as one, bringing to life the contemporary era’s technology-reliant malaise. [4/5]
‘What You Waiting For?’: Don’t be surprised if Jack Jones becomes a global star in the years following this album’s release. Whether it the catchy beat, the chorus harmony or flickering textures, this is genuinely a pop smash hit waiting to happen. If it was 2008, you would be looking at a potential number one. Musically, it’s not particularly for me, but there is no doubt it is an accomplished track. [2.5/5]
‘Let Down’: A welcome return to the sincere openness from Jones. An upbeat effort, the Welsh musician lays it all bare as the album races towards its close. While he is particularly direct here, it feels like a form of catharsis, as he admits he pitfalls but looks firmly to the future, as the music bursts into heady abandon. [3.5/5]
‘Love & Tears’: Jones institutes an effective change of pace for the final stop. The best moment on the record, due to the lyrics and majorly accomplished marriage of the acoustic and electronic elements, shows that Jones is in no way a one-trick pony. It has more in common with the efforts of modern innovators such as Claire Rousay than it does anything he’s done before. Hugely artistic. [4.5/5]
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