In today’s review, we have an extremely prolific and competent artist who in my opinion, fits the category of trying to revive Folk and Americana with such an honest twist to it that it is commendable. This release is titled ‘Simple’ by no other than Jess Corbin. Jess Corbin is an active singer, pianist, songwriter, conductor, vocal coach, and music director who does her work within the sphere of Philadelphia and New York. To add to that, she was also a member of many choral and compositional collectives and was also the chair of musical theatre at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. If that wasn’t already extremely impressive, she is also a lecturer at the City University of New York Kingsborough Community College in Music and Theatre. She is definitely an individual who spreads herself and doesn’t limit herself in the pursuit of music and continuous learning, which is very commendable. Individuals like these tend to produce exemplary music, and it shows in her debut release.

The album starts off with the first track, titled ‘I Don’t Know’. It has an extremely upbeat and quirky feel to it, with the cadence of the drum reminiscent of 60s pop music. The piano follows the syncopation of the drum initially, before going into a very quirky sequence. Jess’ vocals enter the track quite seamlessly, and I can definitely hear the influence of Joni Mitchell in her vocal mannerisms as well as delivery. Her voice has absolutely zero roughness to it, which fits how quirky the track is. The background vocals provide the song a determined edge compared to the vocalisation of the verses, helping to give the singer’s smooth voice a bit of a necessary contrast. Throughout the song, the bass also wraps the song up by giving it character and a little bit of mystery to it. This song is definitely very safe, with no elements feeling out-of-place and it is also mastered really well. It is very listenable, and I don’t think this song can divide people when it comes to preference.

The second track, ‘Thanks for Askin’‘ starts off with a very earnest delivery from the piano and the vocals. It reminds me of a mixture between a coming of age song, mixed with Christina Perri and Joni Mitchell. Also, for some reason, the composition of the song and the mixture of the main vocals with the background vocals really remind me of the song ‘Holiday’ by the Bee Gees. There is a definite character in the composition of the instrumental, with the guitar and the bass posing almost a ‘strike’ metaphorically, giving the song pauses. There is also what I assume to be a banjo solo in the middle of the song, giving the song a golden quality- and the piano playing simply carries the song. The chord structure of the song is predictable, but the quality of each element in the song makes it more than merely a ‘predictable’ song. I assume the lyrics could also be relatable to many people, given that they pay homage to the mood and circumstances of everyday life.

‘Clark & Clementine’ comes afterward with definitely a deeper soundscape due to the bass guitar and minor tone of the introductory chords. It also has tinges of blues to it, which I absolutely adore. I like how mysterious and dark the song starts off. It is full of character and subtle sass. As the song evolves, the tender piano softens the initial ‘putting-off’ feel the song starts with, but the blues and country-style string playing gives the song almost a seductive trance to it. It reminds me of songs from Siouxsie Sioux, in a way. I also adore how steadfast the drummer is in this track, as it gives the song a ‘heartbeat’ and a metric for the song to navigate through. Towards the middle of the song, harmonies please your ears as they form the background instrumentation and the jazz guitar shines in its subversive playing. I find this song to be one of my personal favourites from the album.

‘Stfu’ then begins with a cyclic form in terms of the piano, developing variation as the notes go on. The solo piano gets transformed into a number through idents of suspense (the cymbals of the drum, the disjointed manner of the guitar) and then, the song erupts into a rapid-fire sequence. The sudden tempo change, as well as delivery, really reminds me of some of Kate Bush’s earliest works in ‘The Kick Inside’. I find this song to sound like one of a ‘fun anthem’, but with an edge as well due to the modes of musical variability throughout the song- interesting notes are chosen for the vocals at the most unexpected times, and the groove, although seemingly predictable, seem to draw you in further through musical breaks. I’m not a personal fan of this song, but it is definitely competent and well-mastered. I don’t think this song is easy to ‘not like’, as it does put you in a good mood.

The song afterwards, ‘2chris’, comes in a solo piano ballad style. It is stripped down, with merely the piano and the singer’s vocals. The piano playing is quite robust, even though it is simple. It is effective as a complement to Jess’ earnest and versatile voice. I love the addition of the flute in the middle, as it helps to give the song more of a personal feel and deepens the emotional tone of the song as well. The ‘breathiness’ of the flute also gives the song more of a quirk, as some people would love to opt for a ‘noiseless’ recording of the flute. It gives it more of a folksy and authentic feel. I personally feel like it is impossible to overlook this song, it is quite straightforward and ‘simple’, yet deep in its emotional tone.

‘No More Time’ starts strong, as opposed to the previous song. It definitely has a sassier and slightly rock feel to it, supported by the slight tinge of electric guitar in this song. The rhythmic component of the song as well as the cadence of the vocals somehow reminds me of ‘Come Together’ by the Beatles. It does combine elements of swamp rock, blues rock, as well as folk. It definitely is a very singable song that most people can come together (pun surely intended) and groove to. The solo in the middle of the song is definitely the cherry-on-top. It is soulful, it is melodic, and the tone of the instrument used is very funky and psychedelic-esque. Another one of my personal favourites from this album. I like how many genres this song seems to straddle between while still holding down a steady groove, and Jess’ vocals truly shine in this one.

‘Winnebago‘ starts off extremely inviting, also giving a very different thematic contrast from the previous song. The chord structure of the initial melodic acoustic guitar gives off the feel of earnestness and comfort, but in an isolated yet understandable sense. I love the addition of what I think is guitar-based pizzicatos in the instrumentation of the song. Strangely, the piano carries the main rhythm of the song. In another crazy way, I find the tone of the song very similar to Hans Zimmer’s productions- just executed with the elements of other genres like folk. This song is truly inviting and heartwarming, with enough musical variability to excite you in the midst of the emotions of the song. I can definitely see this song being used as the backing track for a movie, or a scene in a film, where two people are having a heart to heart discussion in the midst of isolation. Another song in this album that I think is quite hard to truly ignore.

‘Let it Burn‘ begins with an emotionally jarring piano sequence, supported by the bass guitar and the anticipation of the cymbals. Jess’ vocals oscillate between her typical delivery of smooth gliding mixed with determination. The cadence of the song and the percussion puts me more in the mind of ‘The Kick Inside’ by Kate Bush, more so than the previous track which bore similarities to the album too. The relationship between the drums and the bass definitely carries most of the song, with the vocals layered and going in-and-out presumably to create the effect of an echo. The solo in the middle of the song with the jazz guitar is also quite heartfelt in its delivery, before returning back to the wonderful soundscape of Jess’ harmonic vocals. I highly recommend this song. It definitely has a neo-70s feel to it as well.

‘Simple’, the title track of the album, starts off with a contemplative piano sequence. Like most of the songs on the album, the bass comes in and the rest of the acoustic guitars slowly creep in, wrapping the song up and making it sound whole. The tinge of that stringed instrument also gives the song a metaphorically ‘shiny’ quality, which helps the otherwise pleasantly gloomy tone of most of the aspects of the song. I find those two elements together very wholesome from a songwriting perspective. Another thing I have to praise about this song is how well it is mastered, every aspect of the instrumentation has time to shine without conflicting with each other. In terms of vocal prowess, this track is THE track that display Jess’ ability, with a sustained note. It gives the song more power and determination in its message and delivery. It definitely packs a punch. The choice of vocal techniques in the end of the song also give the song so, so, so much character. I’m not saying it just because it is the title track, but this track is unskippable.

Finally, the album closes off with a track titled ‘Some Assembly Required‘. It starts out very minimal yet maintains a tone of profoundly deep emotion with the piano playing in the background. The star of the song is truly the interaction between the singer’s vocals as well as the piano. It may be minimalistic, but it is quite melancholic and worthy of a listen. It sounds as if an earnest story was unfolding in front of you, as if a Broadway character broke out in song during a time of emotional distress. Quite a nice song.

All in all, even though this album is not one I would usually gravitate to, I am extremely glad to have been given the opportunity to listen to such a sublime piece of art. The album definitely sticks true to its influences and the experiences of the artist, Jess Corbin, but it has enough musical variability to excite you and enough prowess to draw you in further. It is an album that plays and bounces between vulnerability and thematic anthems, which gives it a definite edge in this day and age. It is almost ‘revivalist’ without being corny, or bad in its execution. This album truly feels like what it would be if a proficient folk album from the 60s to the 70s was recorded today, without losing and sacrificing any aspects of the original genre. It feels like a warm hug. I would love for the artist to continue making albums and releases, showing different aspects of the various fields of music they work in intersected with this type of music, it sounds like the vessel for many possibilities to come.

Rating/Excellent – “Simple” is an album that blew me away with how great it actually is in execution. It is a great album that pays homage to the folk sound of the 60s and 70s, but with a such unique character and oomph that it does not even sound dated. The artist is extremely talented from a compositional and vocal perspective. Highly recommended!

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The post Jess Corbin – Simple (Album Review) appeared first on Music Review World.

‘Life Fire in Peopledom’ is the solo moniker of Michael Tokarz, a compelling and proficient musician who crosses genres and boundaries with his forage into art. He has been the main bassist of many math-rock, prog rock and post-rock bands, with his longest stretch being the bassist of San Francisco-based math rock band ‘We Be The Echo’ and his most recent stint being the bassist of an Oakland-based post rock band called ‘Scramble Kids’. ‘Life Fire in Peopledom’ has been his solo project since approximately 2002, being his outlet to put out music that didn’t quite fit into the box of the genres of the bands he participated in. Life Fire has had previous releases, such as The Thicket which garnered excellent feedback from one of our reviewers. In today’s review, I will be analysing his latest release called ‘Death Chest Etiquette’ to see if it matches up the superb artistry from his previous releases or perhaps even supersede it.

‘Death Chest Etiquette’ is available through this link: https://www.lifefireinpeopledom.com/music , it is the first and foremost release displayed upon entering the webpage.

Before getting into the musical analysis of this EP, it is necessary to note the footnotes and inspiration behind the album and how it contributes to its soundscape. Quoted by the artist, the narrative theme of this record is loss. Loss, especially in the context of someone intertwining their life and romantic prospects with someone you know will die soon. This album is a way to capture the emotions the survivor of the deceased seeks to convey, in a non-logocentric manner. The stylistic theme was developed through influence from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick. It is a sci-fi film characterising the space-age zeitgeist of that time, where spaceflight was humanity’s common goal but it was a goal no one had dared to traverse before. In fact, many people were cloaked in a cape of fear, as much as space was a studied territory, the possibilities that spaceflight posed to man without sufficient protocol and precaution could lead to instant death.

In a way, the theme of this EP is a reimagined situation in which one of the scientists on a mission in the film, Dave, is assumed to be in a heterosexual marital relationship and it attempts to play out the mental toil and mental journey that his wife, Betty, might’ve went through assuming that her husband was not likely to return from his voyage. In fact, the cover art represents a wish box, a symbol of the love that will endure when the body does not.

The first track, The Afters, starts off very synth heavy. It almost sounds like it is a modular synthesis instead of a digital synth. If this robust, lush sound is indeed done from a digital synth, it would be very impressive. Either way, the fullness of the sound and the manipulation of the waves paint a picture of musical futurism. It’s like as if the synthesizers characterising space-age music had a remastered, new-generation approach. It puts me in the mind of Kraftwerk, with the ambient chord build-up reminding me of some of David Bowie’s work in Low (1977). In fact, I find that a lot of the EP mirrors the melancholic digital buildup reminiscent of that album. Perhaps it is due to a very similar thematic inspiration- loss and the space age itself, as the movie analogue to Low was ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’ with similar tones.

I really like sounds with a short decay, and the synthesizers produce exactly that. The tinges of tambourine in the song as well as the addition of a drumset, along with a type of polyphony in the melody and slight addition of triplets give it a very ‘fast-paced’ feel. Listening to this, it feels like as if one has accepted the reality of technological advancements but their thoughts and train of mind is in a scramble. It reminds me of a more space-oriented version of ‘Jet Lag Slave’ by D-Nox & Beckers. The addition of sparse-like synthesizers also add on to the space-age feel of the track. I highly recommend this track.

The second track, Our Sons and Daughters are Heroes and Martyrs, starts of with a very dissonant pattern analogous to mystery shows and films of the 60s and 70s. The sprinkles of twinkle-sounds and synthesizers in the background give it a very transitionary melancholy-to-determined feel in the track, reflective of the title. The jazz guitar in the track give the track a highly nostalgic feel. It sounds as if it was paying homage to those who have already left this plane of existence.

The background synthesizers oscillate between hyperfuturism and space-age futurism, which I find pretty fascinating, being that they are two different interpretations of the future itself. The bass in this track is immensely prominent, providing a comforting backbone to the soundscape itself. It caresses the main instruments very, very well and add more emotional depth to the song.

Towards the middle, and reaching the end of the song, all the various instruments come together in a singularity-like fashion. It is like all the efforts of the forlorn have collapsed and indeed, reached an astronomical singularity. It also gives the song an emotional peak- akin to when intended grief becomes so high, it is euphoric. Another highly recommended track.

The third track, Ta Ra, Terra, plays more with the soundscape of mystery and anticipation. One of the quirks of this album is how amazingly well not only the music fits the theme, but how well crafted the titles of these tracks are. Terra, a new landform, and the anticipation and novelty of reaching new domains in other planets, or even other domains of space…

It starts off with an ear-catching guitar riff, with a syncopated synthesizer in the background. The guitar gives the sensation of intent and ambition, while the synthesizers paint a picture of sheer mystery and unknown territory. This track is quite chilling, but at the same time, relatable and exhilarating. Could it be related to the perceptual cacophony of mania?

The bass in the track adds on to the finality of the sound. All I can think of, as I hear this track, is as if someone was riding the Lunar Rover Vehicle into a territory they had not remembered to map or track in the first place. I find this track immensely exhilarating, for some reason. The guitars towards the middle of the song wrap the song up in tender resolution, but the tambourines amp up the excitation of the track. There is also some commendable polyphony in the guitar’s notes as well. The circular feel of the main melody towards the end of the track give it an unfinished resolve- a genius move. Highly recommended as well.

The fourth track, Dance of the Universe, wraps my brain up in sheer pulsated fascination. It’s like as if the synthesizers in the song were meant to mirror the pattern of neurons firing pseudo-abruptly, with many nodes connected at once. This track is truly a treat to the brain, just like its title. It puts me in the mind of a more compositional-friendly version of Galen Tipton’s work. I find this track very dynamic as well, with the synthesizers putting you in the realm of neurons/particles/space rocks, but the bass carrying the story-telling and emotional journey of the track itself.

The tempo of the drums simply add to the excitation of the track. The addition of stylistic snares and hi-hats somehow colour and complement the complex syncopation of the synthesizers itself. The usage of jazz guitar and surf-rock like musical patterns also draw the song back to its initial, space-age and wavey influence. I really like how the added sprinkles of synths make the song extra ‘tingly’ in sound. It has build-up, and resolve, oscillating as if they were in a call-and-response sequence!

A sparkly, exciting, chaotic and wonderful track. This might be my favourite track from the EP. I may have a completely different interpretation of the track than intended, but it is definitely competent from a production and composition standpoint.

The last track, Lists, starts of with brain-grabbing synthesizers once again. This, to me, is one of the most Kraftwerk inspired tracks out of all the tracks in the EP. The melancholic and descending chord structure reminds me of ‘Das Model’, but with a more tender and heartfelt flair. The instances of a switch-sounding synthesizer give this track the feel of dying neurons and nodes, if the previous track was to be interpreted of that of a cacophony.

It is actually very tender, even though the instruments in this song would typically be ascribed to ‘colder’ musical techniques. The bass simply glides through this song, giving it an emotional depth that one would struggle to correctly describe. I like how the drumming and percussive elements of this song go through various different time signatures at different times of the song, giving it a contemplative and succinct feel.

This track is honestly a perfect end to the sequence of the whole EP, even in terms of storytelling order. It fades out not just technically, but also emotionally- just like the stages of anticipated grief.

All in all, I think this body of work is simply genius. I wish this artist would get more recognition for his work. The way the songs stylistically and technically fit the intended theme is simply unmatched, and the elements of futurism and existentialism in the emotional variability of the instruments really appeal to me. The manipulation of synthesizers in this album is also another plus point for this body of work, as it employs techniques that sustain the authenticity of sound without sounding cheesy or generic. This album does not lack character, at all. I really recommend this album.

Score/Outstanding: It is quite rare for me to see people take on the artistry of contemplative, semi-ambient synthesizer heavy music with a space age influence especially in this day and age. Life Fire in Peopledom has taken a bold step in expanding upon their creativity with this theme, and stylistically as well as technically satisfies the criteria for a wholly-good work of art.

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