Album- Devotion
Artist- Jessie Ware
Maybe not as commercially success as she should have been
but definite one of the highest critical success in the UK in 2012, Jessie Ware
has such a natural lightness and chilled quality to her voice mixed with a
perhaps innate vulnerability that makes it almost impossible for listeners not
to be absorbed by what she is singing. Yet this natural quality could
potentially suffer over an entire album, and so as a listener I want to see how
she will combat the potential danger of her music sounding bland as a whole.
Track 1- Devotion
The opening and title track is a glassy pop affair all about
needing the love of someone because they make you feel so good. The lyrics
boarder upon being bland in that they evoke that sense of cliché, but the
simpleness of the hook gives the track a nice honesty, and the song is saved by
her natural vocal tone which gives an all-round smooth edge to the track and
makes her ideas more believable. And set against steady beats that give a nice
chilled feeling, this is a pretty good opener.
3/5
Track 2- Wildest
Moments
Inspired by her relationship with her best friend Sara and a
flight she had with her, this track is all about the ups and downs of
relationships and that idea of you may fight and argue but you always really
work well. The track opens up in a slightly haunting way that invokes that
sense of danger and taps into that ideology of being wild in a nice way. And
with the introduction of a powerful drum bass and clunky guitar rhythms the
track envelopes that sense of being wild well. What is really good is that the
production both contrast and compliments with the delicacy and smoothness of
her vocals really well, allowing for the tracks overall message to really sit
with the listener, and that hook being more truthful.
3.5/5
Track 3- Running
The records lead single is a psychedelic electro pop number
with a powerful drum loop set against haunting layered vocals. The track
lyrically speaks of a great relationship in which Ware is always kept on her
toes because the love is just that strong. And structurally it works well, with
the simple of hook of the chorus having a lilting tone that is delectable and
feels quite soulful and old school. The pre chorus also makes the message of
the track come out nicely through its fast paced nature. And vocally Ware
shines in that she always keeps that smooth tone but vocally kind of lets rip
in the bridge, emphasising the power of this relationship, and when set against
electric guitar undertones, it just sounds so good.
4/5
Track 4- Still Love
Me
The synth beats within this track make it sound a bit more
attention demanding and forceful to the previous track and offers good bit of
album diversity. Ware speaks in this track of a relationship in which her man
stays by her side but she kind of hides, and she simply puts out that question
of do you still love me? Lyrically that hook of “still love me” doesn’t feel as
good as the hook of the previous tracks, but the smooth tones of the pre chorus
with the male background vocals gives a nice soul, almost sultry feel to the
song that makes it feel chilled but powerful. And with those powerful beats the
track definitely gives the questioning tone a bit more of a kick.
3.5/5
Track 5- No to Love
The electro beats of the previous track were dominate, but
on this number the drum bass is definitely the solid backbone of the song and
very much set the tone of the record in terms of that powerful question of “who
says no to love”. And lyrically this is pretty much all the track consists of
in terms of Wares vocals, but the way she conveys the track in terms of her
vocal tone mean this repetition never sounds boring, rather that it is just an
important question that needs an answer but doesn’t really have one. And with a
nice rap section that gives what is the point in it all sort of flavour to the
track, it’s another solid number that just leaves you ready for more
deliciousness from this record.
3.5/5
Track 6- Night Light
The song begins with slow and powerful violins that give the
listener the sense that this is a slow, melancholic and understated number. But
as the light drum beat kicks in and clunky guitar riffs envelope the song this
is actually a nice mid tempo ode to the love of a good man using the metaphor
of a night light and the way that this provides security and warmth. The track
works well in terms of the slightly more understated sounding verses against
the simple but passionate chorus, with the electric guitar breakdown into the
bridge emphasises that she is overcome with love. And with a vocal that is
light but still gives enough depth to the track and sees a little bit more
vocal gymnastics than usual, this definitely is one of the best tracks on the
whole record, with the way it fades out with the violins leaving that powerful
aftermath.
Track 7- Swan Song
The title of this track pretty much sums up the inspiring,
let yourself go lyricism of this track. And although it offers some clichéd
sentiments concerning such things as gold, the power of her voice sound very
nice and soulful and so doesn’t feel like she is trying too hard, with the
vocal layering in the chorus giving a powerful sound to the track. The song
could have perhaps worked a little bit better in just a little more up tempo
state, but the simple electro beats and drum beats just allows the song to have
that power in the message.
2.5/5
Track 8- Sweet Talk
The track to me when I first heard it sounded quite 80’s
synth pop inspired with those delicious electro pop beats that sound gorgeous
against the incessant power of the drum bass and subtle guitar riffs. And with
Ware speaking of her lover giving her the love she needs in the way he talks to
her, the natural delicacy of her voice really works well, with the track being
kind of cute. The final section definitely makes for a rousing end in terms of
the way the overall sound just gets grounder, and with the cool electric guitar
end that is so simple, you can really just chill but also have fun to this
number.
3.5/5
Track 9- If You’re
Never Gonna Move
Originally called 110% but changed due to sampling legal
troubles, this second single is probably her best known work, and it annoys me
a little as this isn’t the best song on the album. However the track is really
good, with her delicate soulful vocals sitting nicely on a bed of electro beat
energy that gives cool almost fast paced energy to the song and contrasts
really nicely with her voice. The lyrics speaks of Ware being sad this guy
isn’t making her move on her and the fact that she’s still on her own, and it
taps in well to that human aspect of loneliness in a nice but not too
depressing way. The only thing that is properly annoying is the use of the
sample, which I feel is a waste of time and should have just not been used and
just removed after the dispute.
3/5
Track 10- Taking In
Water
This song is a little bit more stripped back and in that
sense feels a little bit more heartfelt. The emotional ballad is all about the
power of Ware’s relationship and how she will do anything for her love to make
him feel better, using the powerful metaphor of taking in water. It’s nice in
that although it can easily be transferred into that typical boy girl state,
the track can also become personal to the listener and have that sense of
relating to any particularly important person in their life. The drum bass and
piano instrumentation draws a nice line between forceful and delicate, and
never overshadows the great vocals of the song in which Ware uses a potent high
register in the chorus that makes her music all that more believable and
touching.
4/5
Track 11- Something
Inside
The final track is a sweet end that kind of to me feels like
one of those songs that would definitely be good for a romantic comedy film.
And it’s just another example of soulful pop goodness in every aspect that has
been found within the entirety of this record, and so doesn’t need to be
explained, rather just it needs to be an example of how this record commands
more attention.
3.5/5
Final Review
I feel like this is an example of the power of radio and
other musical media coverage: if I am honest I haven’t heard much of Jessie
Ware in the radio and so haven’t paid her much attention. This is a travesty,
because this is such a good debut steeped in smooth, soulful pop goodness that
it feels like a rarity in today’s very much dance orientated world. So to those
radio stations who play her, play her more, and those who don’t, do, cause
otherwise you should just be ashamed of yourselves.
9/10
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