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Friday, 10 April 2015

Jamie T - Carry on the Grudge (Album Review)

Carry On The Grudge’ is Jamie Treay’s third album, the street poet from London mysteriously stopped creating music for five years, until his new album ‘Carry On The Grudgewas released.  I personally prefer his older stuff, however I do find this album a massive paradox from his previous work, and I like the contrast that Jamie has provided by releasing this album… The album was released on 29th of September in 2014, so as you can imagine after 5 years of no work being produced, fans were obviously thrilled to see that the Londoner has made a re-appearance with a brand new album! Within this album Jamie becomes the character’s that he once talked about in his previous albums which leads to the reason as to why this album is such a gigantic paradox to his previous work.

The second track on the album is called Don’t You Find and this single was released on the 21st of July, before the album was released and it is one of my favorite songs off the album. I think that it was a great song to tease the fans with before the full album was released. The single introduces itself straight away with the vocals saying:  

 “Don’t you find some of the time there is always someone on your mind, that shouldn't be at all in any place or any kind?”  

This attracts your attention straight away, as this line is simply very relateable.  The reason as to why this single is one of my favorites off the album is because within this song; the instrumental is much softer and quieter compared to Treay’s voice - in order to allow you to focus on the lyrics.

This song is one of the most well-known songs off the album alongside “Zombie” due to the lyrics being very repetitive. The echo’s and backing vocals reflect the sadness of the song and create a rather gloomy atmosphere. This album portrays a very dark atmosphere from start to finish; compared to Kings`n’Queens as that album is rather rebellious as Treay loudly voices his opinion and comes across as a bit of a gob-shite, but I like the contrast between his previous work in Kings`n’Queens and Panic Prevention to Carry on the Grudge as it shows how much of a versatile artist that Treay can be.

`Zombie’ has claimed to be the most popular Jamie T song on the album and perhaps the most notorious and successful out of all of Treay’s songs? The single was released after “Don’t you find” on the 12th of August 2014 it starts off slowly similarly to his previous tracks, then the notorious Jamie T beat hits when the chorus kicks in; with strong guitar and attitude that Treay shows throughout all of his previous work.

 “Cause I’m a sad sad post-teen could have been a love machine. No dream, come clean walking like a zombie, like a zombie.”

Then before the last verse, the single is then followed by a horror theme tune - then on the last verse you hear Treay’s lovely contagious singing voice again, followed by the catchy chorus line of:

“Walking like a zombie, like a zombie.”

‘The Prophet (explicit)’  – This is a song which allows you to really get into Jamie’s head as he views all his prospective of poverty in this song.  Again followed by a catchy chorus:

I don’t ask the questions, I don’t write the rules. I’m up for suggestions, I will follow you through; it can’t be any worse than I've been up to.”

My favorite line of the song is:

 “I don’t know what it is but you do it to me, I haven’t cracked a smile since ‘93”

This is because it has endless questions as to why he has written this line, and it follows with endless answers.

However the main song that I dislike on this album is called 'Peter' I have presumed that Peter is Treay’s evil alter-ego and the song comes across rather psychopathic and almost schizophrenic.  

The schizophrenic opinion comes from the way Treay opens the song with;

 “Sometimes I feel like there’s someone in my head”

That then goes on to be followed by;

 “Sometimes I feel that he wants me dead.”

Then the chorus consists of;

“Peter doesn’t like my friends. Peter doesn’t like your band; Peter says you all sound bland. Peter wants to fuck your girl; Peter wants to fuck the world.”

I didn't realise that Treay had such dark thoughts and as a fan of his work I must say that this piece is way too dark for my liking, and I really dislike this track.

'Love Is Only A Heartbeat Away' is another personal favorite of mine, it enters with a gentle and soft introduction and continues with a melancholic atmosphere from beginning to end for the rest of the song.  Like many of Jamie T’s songs it is shamefully contagious due to its repetitiveness.

 “And he sang love is only a heartbeat away, better save it for the darkest of your days”

Then on the second chorus it changes gender;

“And she sang love is only a heartbeat away, better save it for the darkest of your days”

In conclusion; I think that the whole album is full of very dark songs compared to all of his previous work, but it allows you to understand the other side of the story.  On the contrary, I really do like this album as you get to see the softer more emotional side of Treay’s work and every song has been cleverly structured in so much detail, and even the album has been cleverly structured in order to create that contrast that Treay was obviously looking for.  As he put love is only a heartbeat away after Peter on the album; one of the softest songs on the album, next to one of the darkest songs on the entire album. Considering how aesthetically pleasing I find Jamie T and how big of a fan I am of him and his previous work, I’m not the biggest fan of this album mainly due to Peter letting it down from my own personal prospective.




9/10

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