Here is the full David Blake review of Love, Hope and Confusion as promised. If you havent heard the album yet, then why not? Khizar Jamil - Love, Hope and Confusion Love, Hope and Confusion... This record has been a long time in the making, but it is often the best things that take the longest. Whether it be months or years of thought and action that went into this latest slice of the many talents of Birminghams own Khizar Jamil, theres no question that there is a lot beneath the surface here. Every track - every passage of music - has a rich texture of meaning behind it. And it is this attention to detail which lends credence to suggest that this is the artists best work to date. Already arguably a veteran of the music industry, Khizar Jamils previous releases, 2007s swirling palette of ideas that was Into the Unknown and 2009s beefier, more accomplished The Impossible Dream, were musical landmarks that have spurred him onto this latest project. With the writing stretching back predominantly to 2011, Love, Hope and Confusion boasts a set of 11 brand new songs packed with an almost-excess of lyrical ideas and musical styles. But it is hard to see any padding here, any wild shots in the dark. Indeed, it is an album that, perhaps unlike its predecessors, can stand strongly and confidently on its own two feet. The whole thing kicks off with a typically barnstorming effort. Sure, it may sound like Oasis, but I Dont Believe In Heroes (I Just Believe In Me) is clearly the result of Jamil wearing his influences well on his sleeve, and theres certainly nothing wrong with that. It works very well as an opener, and as a statement of intent. A nice, neat little solo complements the song without getting self-indulgent. Following on from this is Backstabber, a tight, fast-paced little rocker. The scathing lyrical subject matter and the harsh, disillusioned chords running at full steam create a counterbalance with the opener, and the synth-laden breakdown in there shows that hes not a man content to rest on the primary guitar/bass/drums formula that make up the majority of his previous releases. And this is a diversity that will continue and widen as the album progresses. Just A Dreamer continues the emphatic feel of the first few tracks still onwards. Tight little riffs and then the great, towering chorus remind everyone that this is someone well-versed in crafting the sleekest of power pop songs. The lyrics, with their gleaming sense of hope and almost reckless ambition, effortlessly complement the music. The Boys In Blue is an overtly political number which, although a departure from most of Jamils other lyrical influences, doesnt get too over-analytical with the way things are, which actually strengthens the song and aligns itself well with the music. The hushed verses can only lead to yet more chest-beating refrains, before producer Sean Reads powerful, melancholic yet understated trumpet makes a fitting appearance to close out the track. Song For A Lost Friend is the albums undoubted highlight. Wasting no time with a musical lead-in, the blunt, emotional vocals jump out at you from the start and this kind of energy and intent, coupled with soft waves of melancholic guitar, carries the song through till the end. Powerful lyrics which tell of a relationship on the mend encapsulate the sense of frustration and the search for an answer which just cant be found. The song is quite possibly the most heartfelt thing hell ever commit to tape. Nepotism is another short, tight little rocker where the tempo change works well, as do the synths in the chorus following through to the surprisingly short but sweet solo. Lyrics bemoaning an unhappy state of affairs; the bland futility of soulless, empty jobs and the realisation that it all could have been oh so different give another nod to the key themes in the albums title. Is It Gonna Be Forever is the albums subdued, contemplative moment. Every artist worth their salt must include at least one on their records, and just over half-way through is often the best place for them. The track itself, with origins apparently as far back as 2002, is another highlight. The lyrics and music lend the image of the narrator strumming the guitar quietly in a darkly lit room, with rain pattering on the window outside. The chord progression is rather unexpected, the guitar tone pleasantly ethereal and almost spooky. There is the sense of time slipping away, and the squalling yet controlled guitar notes on the chorus crown the songs central acquis of heartbreak. As if letting loose all the pent-up frustration shown in the last track, 5-4 almost serves as an angry response. Alien-sounding synths and heavy guitars drive the albums sole instrumental forward and the pulsing rhythm transforms the whole thing into a wild, untameable beast before the end. A true burst of energy. Continental Divide opens with a series of gently strummed acoustic chords before the lyrics kick in and we have the albums very own love song. Again Jamil makes things emphatic, the closing refrain of Here to stay leaves no doubt over how certain is his conviction, and the song itself is another gentle reminder of the tender side of his songwriting. This Road, This Path, This Journey serves as a musical bookmark in the record as much as anything else. The elegant trumpet riff drives and gives punch to what could have easily been another by-the-numbers rocker, but what instead chose to act as a vehicle for the lyrics, in all their contemplation of how far the artist has come, and how far he still has left to go. In this way the track almost serves as a look back over Jamils career so far, highlighted by how musically diverse it is, and sets up a grand finish to the record. The Beginning (Of The End) has arguably the strongest lyrics on the album. The vocals are delivered quite vulnerably to open the track with only the softly-strummed guitar as accompaniment. The instrumental lead-in to the chorus conjures in mind almost a ticking clock, of the doom of the narrator drawing nearer, and together with the strings marks a sense of something which is indeed ending. The chorus is a thing of beauty, heartfelt vocals with piano and - at the end - trumpet joining in to mark a grandiose finish to the record. The albums addendum? 2013s slick re-working of early classic Shes The One, complete with new lyrics and the source of a newly-created video - the latest in a collection of promotional films for his music which demonstrate just how willing Jamil is to breathe life to his ideas if he feels a strong enough need. This is indeed a masterful work, the themes presented in the title most definitely being present throughout the record. Love appears in many of the songs (Continental Divide), as does hope (Just A Dreamer) and confusion (Backstabber). It is very much a looking back album, both in terms of Jamils influences (undoubtedly Badfinger, The Beatles, Oasis amongst many others) and the lyrical subject matter, dealing with life so far and analysing past mistakes and old friendships which cant be changed or mended. Nevertheless it is still a record that looks forward and - through the lyrics - aspires to a better and brighter future. Sometimes things break through in to anger (Backstabber, The Boys In Blue, Nepotism) and sometimes lend themselves to melancholy (Song For A Lost Friend, Is It Gonna Be Forever). Musically its got pretty much everything going on, and always seems willing to keeps things diverse. The choice of Manic Street Preachers and Dexys collaborator Sean Read as producer and on trumpet was inspired, lending an experienced hand to inject both power and integrity to each song. Use of the trumpet was sparse but well-informed, showing it was only penned in when there was a song in need of its complement. The same applies for the albums synths, giving it an almost hidden electronic feel. Khizar Jamil has made a record that not only stands up to his best material, but arguably cleanly surpasses it. The album explodes with unrestrained fury, burns cold and deep, yet also offers a warm, mature reflection on what has been a remarkable musical journey for the 33-year-old. David Blake
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 17:16:17 +0000
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