Jack Penate - Matinee (XL)
3/5
By: Yousif Nur
Jack Penate's debut album 'Matinee' finally hits the stores after a whirlwind of touring, promotional work and the hype machine working overtime - even more so in this case than in the many other of instances it's been employed in recently. It wasn't yonks ago that he was playing to near-empty rooms at the likes of the Betsey Trotwood, but by gawd what a difference 365 days make. Now with a lucrative record deal and an album to show for it, the million dollar question is, can he bloody well cut it?
In a word - yes. In three words - yes, but just.
And he cuts it extremely fine - thing is, the album is a concoction of busker-like summery soul, loves won and lost and... that's about it. Sure, there's the fancy footwork and white-boy patois from the live show, but that novelty has a shelf-life, one as long as a gnat. But back to the matter at hand here, the songs seem to be somewhat in check, but the production drags the effort down considerably as there's a passive, two-dimensional texture. Once a couple of listens are through, there's not a great deal to pick out in the mix.
We knew what to expect from Jack Penate - a young twenty-something Londoner with an unassuming, charming naivety and a penchant for a ballad here and there. The problem with this is, and the reason the
knives have been out for him recently, is that simply put, people just expected that little bit more. To be fair and to level with everyone, we all did. True, Burial or Four Tet he ain't. But to his credit, he doesn't set out to be groundbreaking, and it is what it is. As an individual, he's superior to many of the artists on the conveyor belt of the transient and cliquey London 'scene', one that wears extremely thin, very very quickly.
Another point of contention is with the questionable lyrics, such as those on 'We Will Be Here' - "I can wish upon a star, wouldn't wish to be that far"... Irrespective, it features some strumming and backing orchestral accompaniment reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, an artist who Jack claims his live shows are a tribute to.
Overlooking the lyrical content, there are some redeemable qualities to the album, such as the acoustic-based 'Learning Lines', which is thought to be about Penate's tenure at UCL studying a Classics degree. It's a highlight on the album along with 'My Yvonne', featuring another rising star and label mate Adele, assumed to be about a lost love. You'll have gathered that the slower tracks tend to be the stronger pieces than the upbeat jangly offerings on the album. Then again, an atmospheric feel of intimacy is another factor that bodes well in his favour. Final track 'When We Die' has choir involvement, and a melancholy feel (duh).
'Matinee' in short is momentarily pleasing on the ear but not without its flaws. It's for that reason alone that it should be approached with caution. Those who think it's worth the asking price and those who don't will be two very different kinds of music listener, each as adamant as the other as to the truth of their own school of thought.
Stream three tracks from 'Matinee' HERE.
Artists in this article: Jack Penate
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