Im Never Gonna Fall Again Smoke and Mirriors Hardcore

The second album from popular Great britain band, Jess & the Bandits sees them expanding their sound and intentions every bit pb vocaliser, Jess Clemmons, explores her inner gospel infused Adele side.

When Jess and the Bandits released their acclaimed debut album, 'Here We Go Again' back in 2015 the Britain was ripe for such a strong, positive, State stone look at life through the eyes of a good 'ol girl from Houston, Texas. Intrigued past the novelty of an American vocaliser backed by a band of British guys and supportive of Jess' outlook on life and her work with habiliment brand, Evans, the UK public soon took the ring to its collective hearts, equally did organisations like Radio 2, well-nigh notably the much-missed Terry Wogan, after he brutal in dearest with their comprehend of Glenn Campbell's 'Wichita Lineman'. The musical mural, however, in 2017, only two short years later, is different for the ring as they return with the follow upward, 'Smoke and Mirrors'. This fall sees the UK awash in State gigs and shows from not only the burgeoning number of homegrown acts but American ones too as they brainstorm to realise there is a real and fertile marketplace on this side of the Atlantic for all things Americana. The market place is packed with releases , making information technology a much harder identify to operate in and as the UK oversupply, now over the novelty of seeing and buying State music here, becomes more than selective, whatever new albums are facing much tougher competition than they were 2,3,4 years agone. The big question for me is how would the band react to this modify? To no longer being a big fish in a pocket-sized pond? Well, the reply is now plain obvious because information technology will only have you one heed to 'Smoke and Mirrors' to understand that they've just gone and congenital a bloody bigger swimming!!

Aye, yous read that right. With 'Smoke and Mirrors', Ms Clemmons and the boys have decided that rather than settle on their accolade and improvement with 'Here We Go Again' part 2 they've evolved and expanded their horizons across Country stone, pushing the capabilities of both Jess' phonation and the musical boundaries of what genre they are working in to create something bigger, bolder and wider than merely Country music. 'Smoke and Mirrors' is simply not only a Land music anthology, in fact, if I'thou being honest you could argue that information technology isn't really a Country anthology at all. Yes, there are structures and lyrical conventions that brand information technology appealing to Country music fans and there are guitar riffs and flourishes that obey the laws of the genre but this is an anthology that could appeal to a broader range of fans, anything from Bon Jovi to Adele with a healthy dose of Organized religion Hill forth the way.

'Smoke and Mirrors' opens with 'I'm Not Going Home', a full frontal concert opener if ever I've heard ane. Big, BIG, Big audio and a huge chorus abound on a runway that quite literally takes your breath away. The outset clues to the ring'southward development tin exist found in the bankroll vocals here – the Bandits backing vocals removed in favour of an all-female gospel choir which non only enlarges the sound but as well expands the bands horizons somewhat too.

There are a number of ballsy rockers on the album. 'Offset a War' is a Bon Jovi tinged anthem with another huge chorus and big female bankroll vocals. Rock guitars and big statements most strength leave this one equally an obvious follow up to 'My Name is Trouble' simply when yous play them side past side you can see the articulate progression the band have fabricated. It won't exist to anybody's taste but the ring volition win more new fans than they lose old ones. Similarly, 'Line of Fire', penultimate vocal on the album, is a rockier number than what long term fans may be used to as a woman scorned sings almost revenge backed by explosive guitars and huge vocals.

Fans of Jess' tender side, however, have no need to fright – there are however lots of more restrained, vulnerable moments on 'Smoke and Mirrors'. The title rails itself is a clever vocal almost how nosotros all accept a game face. "Flash 'em all a grin and requite them all your best," Jess sings in a clever song that sees bear witness of a growth in storytelling across the band'southward music also. The story being told in the first ii verses is interconnected, despite being seemingly split up to begin with and more than female person gospel backing vocals provide a huge chorus once more. 'White Lies' is some other clever vocal. The authenticity and vulnerability in Jess' vocalisation make yous actually believe y'all are sitting in her kitchen beyond from her tear stained face with an early morning coffee every bit she tells you nearly the man who has let her down over again. But this is no pity song, similar to many of the songs on 'Here We Go Once more', this is an empowerment song, this is near finding the force to behave on in the most agin of situations, something Jess writes about very well.

'Gone Girl' follows on that theme and could almost been seen every bit the sequel to 'White Lies'. This time, the narrator has changed and has been taken out for a drink past a friend who encourages her to motion on, drink some vino and 'get gone girl'. Jess has a knack for coming beyond similar an older wiser friend or a large sister, always fix to lend a hand or a shoulder to weep on and it is with that in heed that we must talk nearly the standout track on the album, the vocal that could explode this band nationwide with a bit of luck and a prevailing wind. Sitting at track 8 on an album full of quality is 'Sis'. A huge, huge song that actually provides the ring with an opportunity to push beyond the boundaries of Land music. Information technology merely must be a single, must exist sent to Radio 2. Jess channels all of her inner Adele on this one. The song begins with a piano and a handclap crush, eerily similar to the beginning of many Adele songs. More than massive female gospel backing on a call and response chorus alongside Jess' unrestrained, spectacular vocals really gives you all the feels on a runway that could be simply well-nigh Jess giving advice to her sibling or it could be as huge every bit a rallying telephone call to women everywhere, such is the clever, ambiguous nature of the lyrics. This song is a show stopper, quite but outstanding, cinematic in its telescopic and easily the best song the ring accept ever recorded.

Simply and so we must talk about anthology closer, 'Fault Lines'. Just when you think the ring take peaked they sucker dial you with a closing song well-nigh equally brave and as genre breaking every bit 'Sis'. Another pianoforte and percussion opening, this time echoing Amy Winehouse, sees Jess slipping into Adele's 'Skyfall' – infact, as an homage she actually uses the words, 'heaven falls' in the opening segment of the vocal. Moody guitars and more huge vocals sees this track too, as an obvious candidate for a radio and a single release. I can see the band on Jools The netherlands playing a ane-2 philharmonic of 'Sister' and 'Fault Lines',  wowing the nation and gaining a wider fan base beyond cowboy boot wearing, C2C concert goers, which is clearly who about of 'Smoke and Mirrors' is aimed at as the band move abroad from checked shirts into a bigger, wider crowd.

Don't become me incorrect, there are all the same State elements to 'Smoke and Mirrors'. At that place is a definite Carrie Underwood vibe going on on tracks like 'Kiss Me Placidity' and 'Game Changer', the latter, specially, could have been lifted straight from Carrie's 'Storyteller' anthology as Jess sings almost the danger of beloved and the excitement of a new relationship. 'Already Written', another 'Cinderella style', new relationship song, sees Jess singing to her perfect love, who she has yet to detect in this song. "Exercise you like former movies?" She asks. "When ladies were ladies and men were not agape of showing a little romance." Whilst 'The Bullet' continues that theme of opening yourself up to new love and relationships. Jess' vocals on this track are outstanding, vulnerable nonetheless belying an underlying strength and fortitude, similar to much of what she writes about. 'World Still Round', a cover version of the awesome song from Logan Brill, sees the band smoothing out and polishing off some of the original'south sharper edges. A brave move considering the original song's popularity amongst the more hardcore Country crowd in the Britain. I saw Logan Brill sing this song at C2C this year and it was one of my favourite moments of the weekend. The band practise a skilful chore just amidst such a strong set of songs on 'Fume and Mirrors' information technology doesn't stand up out as much as it does when Logan Brill sings it. Some other Land tinged song is lead single, "Kings of Summer', a nostalgic song that evokes the Spielberg-esque feelings of films like 'The Goonies' and 'ET' every bit the band revert back to their child selves and reminisce about all the things they enjoyed doing in their teenage years, taking us all back with them to that time when we were all 'fearless pirates of the night'.

So, there is plenty Country on 'Smoke and Mirrors' to delight anyone who bought 'Hither We Go Again' but there has been a definite widening of the band's horizons as they look back to Jess' gospel upbringing and forwards to a time to come outside of the narrow confines of the genre. This is a simply stunning album, huge in all senses of the give-and-take. Big storytelling, big vocals and big vision. Yes, the bandits element of the band seems to take been a piddling sidelined as this feels very much like Jess' album but I'grand sure they will accept a chance to impose themselves in the live setting and let their characters smooth through. The progression is clear to meet, Jess has upped her songwriting skills, widened her vision for what the band can do and produced a simply fabulous set up of songs nigh beloved, betrayal, empowerment and redemption that will thrill existing fans of the ring and even so give them every opportunity to look beyond the Country genre for new fans as the ring continue to grow and evolve, as surely every band should. Welcome to the time to come, Jess and the Bandits, it looks remarkably bright!

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Source: https://www.lyricmagazine.co.uk/lyricreviews-jess-bandits-smoke-mirrors/

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