Album Review: Jessie Ware - Devotion

Jessie Ware
Devotion
Rating: Woof Daddy

Jessie Ware's back story reads like a 50's musical, backup singer plucked out of obscurity on the strength of her voice and pushed into the spotlight. What's different about Ware is how she has taken all of this in stride, seeing it all as a lark, that she is somehow playing a role, and none of this should be taken all that seriously. While her self-deprecating view of being a pop star keeps her grounded, there is nothing in her music that shows her not taking her craft seriously. Devotion is one of the best debut releases in ages, and is quite simply the best pop album of the year so far.

Ware was noticed first singing on several EDM and UK bass singles from producers SBTRKT, Sampha, and Joker, her earthy voice the calm center around all the swirling electronics. It was fear at first that her solo material would stay too close to this type of track and that her voice would be lost within too much production overload. Instead, Ware chose to work with producers Dave Okumu (of UK art-rockers The Invisible), Julio Bashmore, and Kid Harpoon (who worked with Florence and the Machine on their sophomore album Ceremonials) and has put together a collection of tracks that put all the focus on Ware's amazingly supple voice, which can veer sharply from a Sade-like coo to a full on Whitney Houston rafter raiser in a split second. Main producer Okumu's touch is felt the most on the album, providing a subtle, and minimal backing but not providing merely aural wallpaper; the music works with Ware rather than overpowering.

Leading off with the title track, "Devotion" eases into the record, Ware's voice almost a hushed whisper as atmospheric guitars and keyboards guide and push her along, providing a modern update to Sade's elegant R&B sound.



Of course, Ware is not going to be satisfied just gliding along each song. New single and album standout "Wildest Moments" perfectly encapsulates her wonderful voice in all its facets. Under booming drums and stark piano chords, Ware bites her teeth into a meaty melody, singing about a doomed relationship where "maybe in our wildest moments/we could be the worst of all":



From there, Devotion provides a diverse and varied set of tracks that run from pop ballads, R&B funk workouts, and more atmospheric pop singles. In all, Ware's voice provides the guiding force. There is not one track on here that is a throwaway or inferior to the next; it all works seamlessly together. Highlights for me are the Soul II Soul referencing "No To Love," early single "110%" which puts Ware's voice against skittering beats and UK bass backing,



and gorgeous album closer "Something Inside," where Ware's voice, hushed and lovely at the beginning, drops out just before the chorus, rising into the heavens.

There is something for just about everyone on this record, from beautiful pop tracks like "Running" which picks up the beats a little more, and lets Ware explore her wide range,



to mid-section album duo "Night Light" and "Swan Song," two mid-tempo numbers that again showcase Ware's elastic voice,



to sweet pop numbers like the jazzy "Sweet Talk," finding Ware in a kittenish mood.



Devotion is a brilliant debut that really gives a true sense of who Ware is as an artist. She doesn't take herself seriously, but she takes her music very seriously. She could easily have let her producers take control of her sound and direction, and also could have just released 10 electronic tracks with her vocals on them, but instead, she worked closely with her producers to come up with something that was truer to herself. Devotion is a must have record.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

Jam of the Day: Florence + The Machine - "Never Let Me Go (Clams Casino Remix)"

While listening to the new Florence + The Machine album Ceremonials, I always thought it had the bones of a great record, but was overdone by ostentatious and overly fussy arrangements, but that it would benefit from some skilled remixing. Clams Casino adds his lush, cinematic approach to the track "Never Let Me Go" and elevates the track from its rather middling original mix.



Here is the original mix, for comparison purposes.

Florence + The Machine: Ceremonials - Album Review

Florence + The Machine
Ceremonials
Rating: Meh

I remember coming across Florence + The Machine in a back-handed way. The xx had not so much remixed her cover of "You've Got The Love" as had re imagined it, retaining only her wail from the chorus. Based on the short snippet that The xx used, I bought the album Lungs, and was drawn into the Gothic textures and drama of her voice and songs. It was a slow-burn of an album, full of constant surprises. I couldn't wait to tell more people about this talented woman, and was pleased to see her popularity rise. Soon, Florence was a ubiquitous fixture at awards shows, red carpets, tv shows, and commercials. You couldn't avoid hearing her even if you tried. Florence and co. didn't wait long to return with the follow up to Lungs; striking while the iron is hot. The resulting album, Ceremonials, is an epic blast of typical Florence tracks, each slowly building into a dramatic swirl of strings, harps, tribal drums, and Florence's distinctive vocals. Unlike Lungs, Ceremonials suffers from a more structured feel. Most of the songs flow into each other, with little to distinguish them, lacking the surprise of a single like "Kiss With A Fist." And at 15 tracks, it can feel bloated, and could have easily have been trimmed considerably. What struck me most about the album is how overly structured it is; to the point where almost all the songs follow the same blueprint. After listening to it several times, most of the songs flow right through one ear and out the other. What surprises me is how distinctive her songs can be when she goes outside her comfort zone. Unfortunately, on Ceremonials, she only rarely does so. But they are by far the best songs she has done.

"Seven Devils" is one of the best songs she has written. Full of measured drama, focusing more on piano and Florence's tremulous voice. It recalls the brilliance of Kate Bush, and the focus on the voice and not just swirling instrumentation is the key element.



"Remain Nameless" ditches the organic instrumentation for a throbbing electronic pulse, that really works well against Florence's earthy voice.



"What the Water Gave Me," a haunting, bluesy take on the death of Virginia Woolf, doesn't allow the music to take over the voice, which seems to be what happens on the majority of tracks on the album. And sadly, if you have the deluxe edition of the album with the demo of the song, you can see how much better she is with her voice as the sole focus.



And "Never Let Me Go," while a typical ballad for her, has a quality about it that transcends what could have been mawkish.



There are a few other tracks that are slightly more distinctive ("Strangeness and Charm," "Bedroom Hymns,: and "Shake It Out"), but for the most part, there are long stretches of time where the songs all bleed into one another, each starting with the same pounding drum track, building slowly, and then erupting into a mess of overwrought strings and harps, as if some deranged gangs of angels were having a battle royale. Opening track "Only If For The Night" provides the template: twinkling harps and and piano chords over a tribal drum pattern, and Florence's booming voice trying to keep things in check. And from there, the other tracks fall in line like sheep, and the middle of the album is a long slog through a swamp of similarity. The juke hall pianos of "Breaking Down," bland R&B of "Lover To Lover," the repetitively pounding "No Light. No Light,"



and a four song run of middling returns ("Heartlines," "Spectrum," "All This And Heaven Too," and "Leave My Body") that tests one's patience to a huge degree.



I can understand the need to capitalize on what made you popular in the first place, but to basically attempt to make Lungs Part II, with each song following the same pattern strikes me as a bit lazy. There is a distinct lack of danger or surprise on this album. It becomes wholly predictable and quite frankly boring. Few, if any, tracks stick with you after you listen to it. I am sure this album will be a huge hit, and she will be headlining festivals and stadiums soon. I just wish she had broken out of what seems to be a rut with her style. I can easily see this becoming almost a parody.

Rating Guide:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.