Pitch Perfect - “A masterclass in storytelling and musical craftsmanship.”
https://www.pitchperfectsite.com/indie-music-album-reviews/john-jenkins-restless-hearts
John Jenkins is one of those heartland Americana artists who come from… England! Everyone else in the world seems to do country just as good or better than Americans, so why not a chap from Liverpool? This should not surprise me, as the first thing I heard in a Northern Irish Pub was American Country and Western (“We love that stuff here!” I was told). Following a previous album and EP, the newest John Jenkins release is called Restless Hearts. It has already been termed “a masterclass in storytelling and musical craftsmanship.”
Both solo and with his James Street Band, Jenkins creates songs that blend folk and country with lyrical storytelling. He’s got a lively performing career under his rhinestone belt, having supported acts like Chris Difford, Jarrod Dickenson and Robert Vincent. His own music has been influenced by Bob Dylan and (the late, great) Nanci Griffith, and has been compared to Neil Young, Paul Heaton, Suzanne Vega and (to my ears) John Prine. Before playing the Bandcamp release, I accidentally happened upon Jenkins’ Spotify cover of an old favorite of mine by Iris DeMent: “Easy’s Gettin’ Harder Every Day.”
Thematically his songs (both originals and covers) explore love, loss, faith, renewal and the fleeting nature of time. Jenkins will spend a lot of time writing new material, then take the best songs into the studio, where he hand-picks his backing players. This time around they include A-list musicians Mikey Kenney (fiddle), Scott Poley (dobro/pedal steel), Chris Howard (piano), Phil Chisnall (resonator guitar), Pippa Murdie (mandolin/cello/backing vocals), and Jon Lawton (guitars/bass). The album was self-produced by Jenkins and John Lawton and recorded at Crosstown Studios in Liverpool.
“Cruel Wind” establishes the mood of the album with a delectable mix of acoustic guitars, mandolin and fiddle, topped by Jenkins’ pleasing tenor vocals cresting along a tight one-two beat. When I first heard these songs it drove me crazy that I couldn’t place who Jenkins sounded like (John Prine is close, but not quite); now I realize his country cadences are blending in with his Liverpudlian accent. My wife mentioned Peter Noone, which might be too extreme but not by much! The resonator or dobro guitar adds a real country vibe.
“The Disappearance” slows things down with a regretful vocal, minor-key acoustic, piano and ghostly banjo. “Too Many Roads” continues that same thoughtful, conflicted feel in the vocals and lyrics, with another steady, driving backing track. “Colorado in the Spring” is the third minor-key song in a row (Jenkins is obviously comfortable here!) and features guest vocalist Pippa Murdie alternating with Jenkins. “I Didn’t Really Want To Change The World” is perhaps my favorite track, both for its lively major-minor arrangement and its similarity to James Taylor at his most sprightly.
“Sound of Thunder” returns to the contemplative mode with laid-back acoustic, piano and resonator guitar. Lyrically Jenkins weaves an image of being alone with your thoughts and memories: “The sound of thunder in the distance from my porch chair… (I) put my head up to face the sky to wash away the pain.”
“The Not Knowing” opens with a short acoustic lead section that very much recalls the songs of Nanci Griffith. This is another sweet song tinged with melancholy but featuring one of Jenkins’ most beautiful chorus harmonies, possibly with himself! “Spent the Night in Austin” feels very much like the classic, introspective 60’s folk I’ve only heard about (LOL) with a distinct Spanish feel to the trilling mandolin. I’ve always wanted to visit Austin, but I’m not so sure after hearing this track! “The Man Who Breaks Your Heart” is an unabashed country torch song with ringing pedal steel by Scott Poley, trilling piano by Chris Howard and Mikey Kenney on evocative fiddle.
As I reach the end of a few plays of this album, it’s clear that the lyrics and stories require much more reflection than the short time I had for this review. But the music is there for all of us to enjoy, and I highly recommend you doing so!