Tuesday 9 June 2009

Jack Penate – Everything Is New

After hearing the first two singles and then the start of Pull My Heart Away, Jack has obviously got a shimmer in his heart for his second album. Pull My Heart Away features a wonderful vocal like Robert Smith’s mumbly album track sound, the songs where an atmosphere is required more than a lyric. Imagine a funereal calypso and you’re near the tune we have here. New single Be The One starts with a gospel chanting of the title and soon hits the killer chorus, as Jack sings optimistic lines that invite a euphoric backing vocal response. It’s a song that builds to each chorus, making you anticipate the next one. Everything Is New follows a similar rhythmical pattern as previously, slightly celebratory, but with diminishing returns. Tonight’s Today hits the mark again though, a lovely Afrobeat feel, and again it has a rave like throw your hands in the air at sunrise chorus. It’s unimposing, but decidedly lovely. Over a twangy electro spine, So Near shuffles its way like the Wombats until cracking out a smiley chorus. Overall it’s like the aforementioned band in Honolulu, which is actually no bad thing. On Every Glance and Give Yourself Away, Jack finds himself lost and directionless in his calypso and Afrobeat rhythms, and the ideas are running out. Let’s All Die has a daft lyric, some thumping drums which are cool, but it’s all a bit murky and there’s not much of a song there. Finally which have Body Down, which is good, a sort of spooky thing from an alternative musical, with weird incantations, shoe gazey bits and a general ethereal feel.

Everything Is New is released by XL Recordings on June 22nd, proceeded by a single, Be The One, on the 15th.
Jack Penate myspace is here

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