From a group of mates and their impromptu Beatles tribute act to what's shaping up to be one of the most significant supergroups of the 21st century, The Jaded Hearts Club have done nothing but release soulful, grooved-up covers of forgotten classics. Friday October 2nd (today) marks the release of their debut album ‘You’ve Always Been Here’. Heavyweights of rock, indie and brit-pop all sit at the top of this sextet: The Last Shadow Puppets’ Miles Kane and Jet’s Nic Cester play the role of frontmen, Blur’s Graham Coxon and Jamie Davis make up the rhythm section and Muse’s Matt Bellamy on bass and The Zutons’ Sean Payne on drums complete the rock and roll ensemble. The boys have even seen support from Paul and Ringo themselves. Having played a charity gig with The Who’s Roger Daltrey and performed at Austin’s critically acclaimed festival SXSW, the band have already got a well established tally of shows in the bag - though old ‘rona ruined this years’ touring plans, we’ve got something to look forward to once everything’s back to normal.
‘You’ve Always Been Mine’ is an unexpected goldmine of modernised versions of traditional hits made for a generation of new music lovers. They pivot into the past, driven by a need to explore what was once lost. Opening the album is the unmistakable sound of Matt Bellamy’s dreamy vocals coupled with the lulling notes of the piano in a much shorter rendition of Vera Lynn’s wartime classic ‘We’ll Meet Again’. Cester’s gravelly vocals fronts the Four Tops’ ‘Reach Out (I’ll Be There)’ cover pulled from Motown’s extensive catalogue of legendary records. It’s fuzzy, funked-up backdrop sets up the tone for the rest of the record. The first time we’re introduced to Kane’s voice is in the distorted, attitude-fuelled ‘Have Love Will Travel’. They manage to add their own flair without losing the song’s originality. Tracks such as the swing-infused ‘Nobody But Me’, originally released as their first single, and ‘Love’s Gone Bad’, a soulful pop melody that almost has a spaghetti western influence, play major roles in keeping up the danceability that runs deep in this record. “Love’s Gone Bad, a rare northern sole stomper that we dug from the underground. We beefed it up and gave it golden wings with matching loafers! Be prepared to dance!” says Miles Kane.
An undeniable standout moment has to be their execution of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ ‘I Put A Spell On You’. Cester, reeling in attitude, showcases his gritty, rousing sound partnered with seductive hooks and an electric pull from Coxon and Davies. Layer upon layer, it feels that they’re almost telling a story, that they’ve purposefully gone searching the racks of old record stores to not so much reinvent these timeless masterpieces but to beef them up, for want of a better word, and bring them back into your collections.
You can hear the album for yourself on all major streaming platforms now: https://open.spotify.com/album/4bLyKjPIhAijzz3JLUBJQn?si=W84KnpfyRGGD3e5KccIHCw
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