JUNE ALBUM OF THE MONTH
Like a guitar, a voice is a musical instrument – and the remarkable ones endure. James Maddock is a great example of this.
In the late 1980’s I accidentally bumped into the Fire Next Time album – ‘North to South’- at college. A curious fusion of blues/soul tinged with rock-punk, framed by edgy, political lyrics. The songs off this album were so good but it was the vocal that delivered the music’s character and give it a point of real difference. Forward wind around 20 years, and I remember my clock radio going off early one morning, as the Radio 2 tunes slowly woke me up for work at some ridiculous hour. I heard a song with a voice that I instantly recognised, but couldn’t quite place. Trying to place that voice bugged me all day, I did my research and discovered it was a song called ‘Stay You’ by a band called Wood. The album was excellent and my CD did the rounds in the village I lived in at the time – the CD ended up being ‘borrowed’ by the pub landlord, who had the CD on rotation every Friday night for some months. Outside the music world of hype and charts, one of so many stories of a music album that can touch communities of people – and have a life of its own, in a bubble somewhere in the world and off-grid from music radio and magazines promoting this week’s thing.
Anyway, the voice from both the two albums mentioned above was that of James Maddock. Having picked up on his band ‘Wood’ I have since purchased a few of his other solo albums, but this new release, for me anyway, marks another chapter in rediscovering a singer-songwriter, which seems to happen even 10 years or so. The point I reflect on now, is the power of a truly distinctive vocal that can endure the fashions of time, and also that quirky truth – that music that is meant for your ears will somehow always find you.
‘Forever June’ is a perfect album for summer. A cohesive and richly rewarding set of songs to enjoy after a hot day, as the sun slowly sets. The artwork of the album cover made me think of the final beach scene from the movie ‘Shawshank Redemption.’ For me there is a vivid, revitalising cool summer breeze than runs through this album. There’s reflection, there’s nostalgia and there’s love – but from the essence of the playing there is a sense of being in the moment, of being alive. And from James Maddock’s ever so distinctive vocal, there’s the delivery of music from the heart that is good for the soul.
The album is ideal to enjoy on vinyl and side one – ‘Picture Me’- opens with a folk-rock sea shanty vibe. Musically, there’s a great balance to the band which carries through the whole album, with everyone getting a moment to shine. The tenderness of ‘You and Me’ is then followed by the upbeat and sunny ‘Take My Side’ and, as the record opens up, I also was really enjoying the way the bass is recorded, which is punchy and feels close to you rather than somewhere in the distance. The vocals throughout side one are great – distinctive and smoky but with range and resonance. At times strong and at times vulnerable, the thing that’s powerful about the way James Maddock delivers a vocal is you always believe it. Maybe this goes back to the era of blues and soul: The great vocal performances in my book aren’t usually the technically brilliant singers, they’re the people that are able to capture a mood, the colours of emotion. They’re the singers that mean it.
Side one finishes on an upbeat high with ‘I’m Not Like That’ – a dollop of sleazy blues / rock n roll. Having supported Spike with his relaunch of Quireboys a few years ago, I thought this song had a similar rock n roll vibe to London’s Wardour Street favourites. As I was listening to it, my mind wandered and I thought about the idea, the perfect fit of Spike and James doing a duet for a song like this. A wonderful song to close side one of the record.
Side two continues in impressive form. ‘Got It All Wrong’ has lovely pace and rhythm, but the pair of tracks that close the album really touched me. The title track – ‘Forever June’ -struck me as a song that would be perfect for a film soundtrack. A song that denotes age and the passage of time; looking back with fond nostalgia. Musically, there’s a great sense of control and of being in the moment – and the skill here is not over-baking the song. The song holds the moment as times moves forward. Play on.
The final track ‘Solitude’ is so powerful in its simplicity. A reference to a church mouse, there is a sense of smallness in the face of the world, of being alone with one’s thoughts and, musically, the sense of the echo you get when sitting alone in a big old church. A song that captures thoughts in solitude, perhaps a reflective prayer on life.
This fine album has 10 tracks. There’s not a filler track in sight. Importantly, the album isn’t too long, something that became a bit of a thing in the CD era. There’s two sides of vinyl, five tracks each side – great balance – and the album ends leaving you feeling you’ve heard a great album but want to hear more. And the good thing, is you can. I had no idea that James Maddock had done so many studio albums – and, you know what, it’s never too late to start a journey of discovery with an artist’s catalogue.
We live in a world today of streaming sites seemingly deciding which songs we think we find online – and AI having the potential to invent the music we put in the charts. So as a counterpoint to all that, there’s no better tonic that remembering what the real deal sounds like. Real song writing, a real band and a truly original voice that AI wouldn’t or couldn’t create.
So, if you’re looking for a new album for summer, snap up a copy of ‘Forever June’ and discover the James Maddock catalogue at https://jamesmaddock.net/music
