XL Recordings artist Jack Peñate is a 24-year old London singer/songwriter whose sound has been loosely described by some as “London soul.” Peñate’s second full-length is confidently different from his debut album Matinee, released in 2007, which largely received mixed reviews from the British music press. With Paul Epworth assuming production duties, I expected this album to be chock full of intriguing, earworm-type dance beats, considering Epworth’s work with Bloc Party and XL labelmates Friendly Fires, just two recent luminaries of England’s current burgeoning dance music scene. As a writer, the main issue I usually have with dance music is that it’s usually conspicuously devoid of lyrical substance. Thankfully, Everything is Now has some golden moments of lyrical goodness paired with memorable, poppy rhythms. It took Peñate a whole year to commit this all to disc, and the results are largely successful.
In my book, good pop should: 1) contain a lyrically catchy and chorus, 2) be instrumentally interesting, and 3) manage to stay well stuck in my brain and not let go, and do so in a good way. Let’s try out my theory with the album’s lead track, “Pull My Heart Away”, shall we? Does it have a lyrically catchy chorus? “I will have to pull my heart away / ‘cos if I never leave I’ll ruin yesterday” – check. Instrumentally interesting? Yes, I definitely was not expecting the uplifting guitars that strum along to Peñate’s voice – check. Is it the tune sticking in my brain, with no signs of leaving? Mmm yes. Check.
But this first track is a pop ballad – there must be more upbeat dance numbers, surely? “Be the One”, “So Near”, and the lead single from the album, “Tonight’s Today” (an attempt at Afrobeat) chirp along pleasantly and will get you in the mood to dance. Or at least make you want to get up from your seat and wave around jazz hands.
Jack Peñate – “Tonight’s Today”
“Give Yourself Away” and the surprisingly bubbly “Let’s All Die” both have an exuberance reminiscent of Caribbean rhythms. I have to give the man credit: with this album, Peñate’s made a fine attempt to not be pigeon-holed by one type of sound. And at nine tracks, the album is relatively short, leaving the listener who’s already fallen in love with the groovy beats wanting more. I was, however, a little confused with “Every Glance” and “Body Down”, both of which slowed down the pace in an otherwise energetic set of songs. Peñate shines when he’s crooning the more buoyant numbers, like he’s the famed resident act at the Copacabana.
In front of an audience eager to dance along to his songs – this is where I imagine him being totally in his element. Lucky for us, we’ll be able to see the man in action soon; the 24-year old Peñate will be on this side of the pond for a 3-week tour of North America starting September 14 in Philadelphia (dates below).
Everything is New will be released in the U.S. on August 18th.
Tracklisting:
01. Pull My Heart Away
02. Be the One
03. Everything is New
04. Tonight’s Today
05. So Near
06. Every Glance
07. Give Yourself Away
08. Let’s All Die
09. Body Down
Tour Dates:
Sept 14 – Johnny Brenda’s / Philadelphia
Sept 15 – Mercury Lounge / New York City
Sept 16 – Mercury Lounge / New York City
Sept 18 – Rock N Roll Hotel / Washington, DC
Sept 19 – Maxwell’s / Hoboken, NJ
Sept 20 – TT The Bear’s / Boston
Sept 22 – Le Petit Campus / Montreal
Sept 23 – Wrong Bar / Toronto
Sept 25 – Empty Bottle / Chicago
Sept 26 – 7th Street Entry / Minneapolis
Sept 29 – Richard’s on Richards / Vancouver
Sept 30 – Neumo’s / Seattle
Oct 01 – Doug Fir Lounge / Portland
Oct 03 – Bottom of the Hill / San Francisco
Oct 04 – Echo / Los Angeles
Oct 05 – Casbah / San Diego
Oct 06 – Detroit Bar / Costa Mesa, CA
Oct 07 – Spaceland /Los Angeles
Jack Peñate: website | myspace
