One of the genres that we tend to overlook in our current fast-paced society, where music and technology intersects and different forms of information are relayed through the medium itself, is Americana and Folk. To be specific, Americana and Folk music through the lens of the way the genre evolved and reinvented itself throughout the 60s and 70s throughout the American entertainment ethnosphere. Coloured by timbres reminiscent of warmth, as well as frank yet heartfelt delivery, these genres seem to never truly fade out of style due to how fundamentally homely they sound. In fact, they pass the test of musical universality- bands such as Fleetwood Mac seem to resurface decades after the zeitgeist of their prime, having a recent resurgence in popularity due to their song ‘Dreams’. As I’ve mentioned earlier, these genres are fundamentally understood and felt. They dance and straddle the line of simplicity and complexity, weaving it together into a tapestry of music that is as paramount to the human experience as a comforting quilt might be.
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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