Lounge Jazz

Week 40: Olivia Dean- The Art of Loving

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment

I planned to start with a brief introduction to Olivia Dean, but since this is quite a lengthy review, I will leave it until next time. Olivia Dean expresses something that is often lost in today’s society. A society full of anxiety, negative news headlines, and anger. Her second album, “The Art of Loving”, asks the listener to take a moment, listen, and find kindness in their soul. Now, I have never done a review like this, but I am going to use bullet points. Let us begin:


Her vocals:


Olivia’s vocals act as a warm hug, inviting you into her world from the very first note. Her voice has a unique duality, speaking directly to you while also addressing the wider world. The light production, featuring acoustic guitars, brushed drums, brass, occasional piano, and strings, further reflects Olivia’s emotional journey. Her lyrics reflect her hopes, dreams, heartbreak, and above all, her enduring kindness, making you feel included in her story.


What question does ‘Nice to Each Other’ ask?:


Of course, one of the standout tracks is her latest single, ‘Nice to Each Other’. The song depicts two lovers at war during their relationship, but of course, the chorus asks them to be nice, even when they shouldn’t, because they are hurting each other. The track reflects these emotions of conflict and reconciliation. The sublime jazz-inspired piano hook causes the track to swell after each verse, before dropping into a chorus where Olivia’s vocals take the limelight over a reverberating snare drum. The production is quite clever here, as it shows us that even through ill feelings, a soft approach can be taken, rather than a knee-jerk reaction leading to a blazing row and plenty of volume.


Her love of lounge jazz to mirror empathy:

Olivia’s passion for lounge jazz is beautifully captured in ‘CloseUp’. The track’s unique features, such as the muted trumpets that accompany her sincere and softly spoken apology, the brushed drums, the laid-back bass, and the saxophone that mirrors the lyrics, make it a standout piece. The profound lyricism is certainly a highlight, but the true beauty of the track lies in how the instrumentation breathes life into the song, creating an emotional connection that allows the listener to find their personal experiences within.

The versatile message in ’So Easy to Fall in Love”:

A track that says let your inhibitions go, but also to tread with caution. The title is apt because it is indeed easy to fall in love, get caught up in the moment, and become naïve to the pitfalls that will eventually occur. The production reflects this by using the electric arpeggiated piano and a bright sound to convey infatuation. Her vocals are once again tender, but warm.


‘Something In-Between’ showing the selfish side of love:


Olivia has created a record full of blissful stories about love, but she was also not shy about discussing the other side of it. She talks about protecting one’s worth and standing her ground to avoid being taken advantage of. The track itself is aptly played in the minor key range, featuring a lightly strummed acoustic over a low synth pulse. Reflecting the sense of being at ease with standing your ground, but also knowing that not losing face can be risky to the relationship.


The three-part coda:


While most albums end with a simple coda, Olivia has included the final three tracks, ‘A Couple Minutes’, ‘I’ve Seen it’ and ‘The Last Note. ‘I’ve Seen it’ is about her discussing love with a conviction she feels has never been done before. One particular lyric highlights this: “I’ve seen the movies, I’ve read the poems, but the real love that sticks is the one that hurts enough to matter”, and she is right. It does. Most romantic songs have an air of pretence about them, but Olivia has done it more genuinely. For the first time, an electric guitar is utilised as it bends, representing a sigh, while a light harmonica blends into the background.

Why the album shines a light on being kind:


As mentioned earlier, we live in very evil times, and “The Art of Loving” illustrates that kindness is often frowned upon in society because it is seen as a sign of weakness, and individuals can be easily taken advantage of. However, Olivia has used it to show that being kind is a good thing and as a form of rebellion.

Let us have a look at the tracks I have been discussing, then what they teach us about being kind:

Nice to Each Other:

Even if we have ill feelings towards someone or something, we can choose to show kindness instead of responding in a way that worsens the situation.

CloseUp:

Before rushing in with all guns blazing, we should take a step back and assess the situation to understand it before deciding on the appropriate action.

So Easy to Fall in Love:

Yes, it is pure bliss to feel in love and grow stronger because of it. It may leave our hearts open, but we should embrace it, rather than see it as a weakness.

Something In-between:

Be in a loving relationship. But make sure you can stand your ground, so one person does not dictate the relationship. The balance will ensure the relationship is healthy.

I’ve Seen it:

Love is not perfect. It has its pros and cons, as with everything in life. Give both the rough and the smooth a warm hug.

The lyricism is profound, and her vocals are like standing next to a warm radiator, making you feel warm and cosy as the songs radiate with kindness. In a world that sees love as a weakness, she sees it as a strength. She does not know the answers, nor does she pretend to, and she refuses to be a wallflower about asking. That is why the record shines a light on being kind.

Outro:

Olivia’s album paints a picture of a world where the need to express thoughts is as urgent as a megaphone’s call. Yet, Olivia’s voice rises above all the noise, calling for whispers of kindness, devoid of any expectation of grand gestures in return. She invites us to listen, to pause, and to harmonise with the gentle sound that embodies humanitarianism. Her goal is to evoke a fuzzy, humane feeling, which she more than delivers. Her message, both thought-provoking and steeped in kindness, is a rare and precious find in the 21st century when it comes to love.


Song recommendations: ‘Nice to Each Other’, ‘CloseUp’, ‘So Easy to Fall in Love’

9/10

Week 14: Ben Howard- Collections from the Whiteout

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Ben was among my first followers when I joined Twitter in 2009 (THE first, if I remember correctly.). I remember seeing this long(ish)brown-haired fellow with a guitar…of course, I instantly followed when I saw he was in the arts, and I can’t remember if he inboxed me, but I remember a link to his latest song was involved and he asked me to give it a listen. Little did I know, he was on television the previous year, but I didn’t watch the programme about showcasing up-and-coming talent. It was now some defunct channel on Sky under the music package (Entertainment package?), which introduced me to plenty of up-and-coming talent like Chip, who was then known as Chipmunk and was still a teenager. The channel in question was either called Muzik or FlashTV. The show Ben would have been on was filmed weekly from the Old Oak in North-West London. After hearing the song in question, I became a follower of his music as I was very impressed with his melancholic vocals, guitar playing, and songwriting ability. Unfortunately, he has flown under the mainstream radar because he isn’t known as much as someone like Ed Sheeran. Ben is more on the same commercial level as Ed’s mate, Passenger. 

However, Ben is highly talented. It seems unfair that he has largely gone by in the commercial market.

Unlike Ed, Ben likes to stay with familiarity, which has probably seen him less prominent. However, the Richmond Songwriter’s debut album “Every Kingdom” in 2011 did have platinum sales.

Ben is about to get more adventurous as this record is more like swimming with sharks outside a protected cage rather than having the security of being inside one. The album reminded me of the late John Martyn’s work with its roots in soft Jazz. Aaron Dressner, who plays the guitar for the National, has encouraged Ben to take a leaf out of their book. Indeed, the National is known for loops and many guitar effects, which can be heard on this record. So, it was the correct decision to get Aaron on board to push Ben artistically.

Of course, Ben hasn’t strayed that far from his subject matters of conscious stories either of his own life or what he has heard during conversations, from individuals, places he has been, or simply by watching television or reading, and of course, based upon his imagination. The stories range from a conversation with a friend who found a dead body in a suitcase floating down the Thames, the death of a sailor and Anna Sorokin, the Russian fraudster. So, a lot has stayed the same regarding the type of songs he writes and the lyrics. As you can see, Ben is still on heavy and gloomy subjects.

Despite new ideas dreamed up with Aaron, Ben does go back to what he knows with “What a Day”, which draws familiarity with tracks off “Every Kingdom”, his debut record. Even though Ben has taken a new direction, he has managed to make the simplicity of his songs come to life on this album, which shows on “Metaphysical Cantations” or “Sage that She was Burning”. “Buzzard” is quite intriguing. By far the shortest track on the record, weighing in at just 56 seconds. I like how Aaron and Ben have got the guitar to ape what the bird sounds like. Could it have been longer? I can’t see why it couldn’t have been at least another minute or so.

“Follies Fixture” is my favourite track and surprised me with its soft Jazz and melancholic lyrics. Like I said earlier, most of the album had a John Martyn feel, and I noticed this track opens the record. I may have said “Buzzard” closes the album, but on the deluxe version, there are edited versions of “What a Day” and “Sorry Kid”. I want Ben to pick up the electric and release his inner rock star on his next album. I hope that by working with Aaron and conjuring up original ideas to make the songs stand out more sonically, Ben can get the recognition in the mainstream, which he deserves because he is more than easily a match for the other acoustic-wielding songwriters and musicians.

Song recommendations: “Follies Fixture”, “Sorry Kid”, “What a Day”

7/10

Week 40: IDLES- Ultra Mono

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I remember a lady talking to me about great music acts out of Bristol, and funnily enough, she was a Bristolian. And I hadn’t heard of them then, but she asked if I had heard of IDLES. To which I replied, “No”. Anyway, she recommended that I listen to them as they are very much the Sex Pistols of the 21st century. It wasn’t long after that conversation; in fact, a mere few hours later, they were making their debut appearance on Later…with Jools Holland, so naturally, I was always going to give them a listen. I remember they played their pro-immigrant song “Danny Nedelko”, which also happens to be a friend of theirs from Poland. I can’t remember the name of the other song at present, but it was about a dad telling his son to be macho and stop moaning about how he truly felt. The next thing I knew, they were nominated for the Hyundai Mercury Prize and performed “Never Fight a Man with a Perm” at the ceremony. I didn’t think much of their lyrical content, but the energy they created with the music could have caused the world’s end (You know what happens in Akira when Tetsuo goes mental?). They spent over a decade in the underground scene before finally getting their break two years ago, so when they released their latest and second album, there was more of a fanbase that they built up mainly on the festival circuit.

Now, there appear to be many ready to shoot the band down and have nothing but contempt for them because they like to stick up for the people and attack the establishment at every turn, but once again, they have shown they don’t fucking care what their critics have to say and have decided to be even more controversial on this record with their political opinions, which I loved. If you follow me on Twitter or whatever, you will know I dubbed the album  “Energetic Rebellion”; that is precisely how I would describe it in short.

“War” and “Grounds” are just the beginning of the band’s assault on the political spheres, and Joe screams on “Grounds”, “Do you hear that thunder? That’s the sound of strength in numbers”. From that alone, you can see the band already calling their listeners to rise and attack the establishment.

On “Model Village”, they attack nationalism and even lay into the current government and their cowardly leader. It is my favourite off “Ultra Mono” just for that reason alone. I fucking despise the current government and the prime minister too.

“Anxiety” is another brilliant track off the album and gets even more political. These lyrics stand out and grab your attention “Our government hates the poor, cold leaders, cold class war, keeping drugs you can’t afford, so the poor can’t buy the cure.” in “Reigns”, the band accuses the government of selling the working class down the river with their bullshit over a bullshit referendum that happened in 2016. The instrumentation and production on most of the record sync perfectly with Joe’s passionate and aggressive vocals.

I can’t remember a calm moment on the album, save for “Kill Them with Kindness”, which starts with a lounge Jazz piano but then launches into an attack on the royal family and so forth. “Seize the Day” is another track that talks about chasing pricks away who threaten humanity.

Although the lyrical content is minimal, what it does offer is utter honesty on the political sphere and how the band couldn’t give a fuck if you hate their anti-establishment opinions. You can see why they have gained a rather large following with these views and hard-hitting punk with their songs that are bound to create mosh pits at every venue or festival they are at. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Song recommendations: “Model Village”, “Anxiety”, “Grounds”

8/10