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ALBUM REVIEW: JAMIE T - CARRY ON THE GRUDGE
Indie | Tuesday 14th October 2014 | Ollie
A full five years after the stonking success of his second album, Kings and Queens, Jamie T is back with a new body of work, Carry On The Grudge. The 28 year old from Wimbledon, real Name Jamie Treays, presents a collection of 12 new compositions and there isn’t a second of 'filler' to be heard.
The dozen tracks on the album are claimed to have been whittled down from a collection of 180 songs written during his five year hiatus. This discerning approach to the release of new material has paid dividends. The quality of song writing is consistently good and, at times, truly great. Treays’s song writing noticeably matured on his second album, with standout tracks such as Emily’s Heart demonstrating a sensitivity and lightness of touch missing from his otherwise excellent debut, Panic Prevention.
Limits Lie, the first track on the album, starts with a delicate string melody before building to the sort of euphoric and memorable chorus he seems able to produce in his sleep. Party stompers such as Zombie, Trouble and Rabbit Hole remind us of Jamie T’s ability to write a rousing anthem but it’s the more sensitive, heartfelt songs such as the acoustic tracks Mary Lea and Love Is Only A Heartbeat Away which provide the tonal changes which make the album one of the best of 2014.
There are many highlight but for this reviewer, the standout track is the mesmerizing Turn On The Light. The beautiful melody hovers over a compelling beat, complimenting the darkest of lyrics. Here, Treays documents his battle with his demons. ‘Love, turn on the light, It's so dark inside, inside my life’ he intones during the chorus, before singing ‘She dragged all the back to the back of my brain, Feel to the light, smokes on an elephant's tusk.’ There isn’t much left to the imagination as to the nature of the demon there.
In a recent interview with the Observer, Jamie T reported that Damon Albarn had told him to “write from the heart,” and “to not give a fuck what anyone else thinks.” If this is the result then Albarn should hand his advice out a little more liberally.
At the end of it all, you are left with the impression that not only is Jamie T a unique and very British talent, but also that he has the ability to be one of the very best song writers that this country has produced. Elements of Ray Davies, Joe Strummer, John Lennon and even Lonnie Donegan are all evident on Carry On The Grudge. High praise maybe, but praise which is thoroughly deserved.
Web - http://jamie-t.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/jamietmusic
