The Jaded Hearts Club “You’ve Always Been Here”
What do you get when Matt Bellamy (Muse), Nic Cester (Jet), Miles Kane (The Last Shadow Puppets), Graham Coxon (Blur), Jamie Davis and Sean Payne (The Zutons) get together? The Jaded Hearts Club! Despite what certain sections of the UK music press say about this album, You’ve Always Been Here, I think this is a solid offering and what the world needs right now is a chance to lighten the mood and have a little bit of fun. What The Jaded Hearts Club have done is breathe some fresh air in to some of the lost classics from the world of Northern Soul and bring some happiness for the next thirty minutes or so.
Equally as impressive is the story of how the band were formed when British guitarist Jamie Davis (previously ran Coxon’s Transcopic Records) wanted to book a Beatles covers band to play his birthday party. Excessive costs and the availability of tribute acts led to this 60s Cavern-era Beatles band forming. Given the star power on show I think some have taken this album far too seriously when it is clear that the band’s intention was to play together for fun with no pressure. It is the sort of music that serves as the soundtrack to a great Saturday night out.
Bellamy sings at the beginning on We’ll Meet Again and right at the end on the album closer with an interesting take on Peggy Lee’s Fever. Nic Cester and Miles Kane take on the rest of the vocal duties with Cester taking the challenge head on. Cester rips through the Four Tops Reach Out I’ll Be There and Kane does a ripping job on The Sonics Have Love, Will Travel. Some other favourites for include The Isley Brothers cover Nobody But Me and the moody swagger of Long And Lonesome Road.
The songs flow and the energy of this album is quite infectious. The Jaded Hearts Club do a solid job giving some classics a new rock twist and whilst opinions are divided give it a spin yourself.
Album Review By Rob Lyon
