Jacknife Lee returns with his latest album a self titled slow burner of a release that errs on the darker side of the dance/rock spectrum. Ten tracks of decidedly moody guitars and beats meshed together in such a fashion that this collection has a decidedly polarised sound. While guitars urgently thrash away in a manner that is simultaneously restrained and ramshackle, underneath there are sharp angular bass lines and dry almost Teutonic beats at work. It’s a heady concoction that holds the listener in place while Lee’s vocal work offers a strange curiosity value for the listener. At time he sounds like Phil Oakey (Fear Of Nothing), elsewhere there are shades of Beck (Monkey In The Meat) at work.
Its not an album without fault, at times you wonder if Lee is going to fall prey to lack of variety in his offerings. Thankfully towards the latter part of the tracklist he does spread his wings a little and begins to branch out a little more, although the songs do remain predominantly dark in nature.
He also saves graces by offering only ten tracks, any more and you would start to feel a little overfed but as it stands what he offers is just enough and thankfully its quality.
Jacknife Lee is out on CD & Vinyl on the 20th August through Fiction.
