Paul Smith
There is much to admire about Dutch musician ‘Jacco Gardner’. Firstly, his 60’s influenced sound is to be applauded as it effortlessly plays homage to a time where the creation of music actually required a modicum of talent. This consideration brings me on to the second point. To describe ‘Jacco Gardner’ as a multi-instrumentalist barely even scratches the surface. The artist plays all but the drums on his sophomore release ‘Hypnophobia’, confirming his master-musician moniker. The above two factors combined with a canny knack of being able to create a “nice melody” would certainly lend some weight to this second album evolving, from what was a stagnant debut.
‘Hypnophobia’ has a more natural, less humdrum, feel to it than that of the artists 2013 debut ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’. Certainly there are more obvious take-away tracks on offer. ‘Find Yourself’ demands ones attention, and while it still contains much of its 60’s psychedelic make-up it cleverly combines this with a more modern indie twist.
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Title track ‘Hypnophobia’ and the stunning ‘Outside Forever’ also seems to indicate progression. Both tracks have a differing but obvious like-ability, with the latter offering a stunning warming melody.
But for all the previously mentioned melodies and progress this album offers it still doesn’t completely convince. Too often throughout the LP the artist doesn’t seem prepared to change the formula and the result is a release that is unfortunately forgettable. And I do mean ‘unfortunately’; as even with my mainly un-trained ear you can hear moments of possible brilliance within the albums content. Regrettably as soon as you think something offbeat is about to happen normal service is resumed. There are instances where you are willing a key change, an increase of tempo or simply something a little different. These moments happen all too infrequently.
After I reviewed the debut LP in 2013 I said that there was more to come from ‘Jacco Gardner’. While this album is a clear statement of maturity, the ‘Jacco Gardner’ I was hoping for is still a work-in-progress.
‘Hypnophobia’ is out now on ‘Full Time Hobby’
You can see ‘Jacco Gardner’ at one of the following venues…
May 8th 2015 – L’EPICERIE MODERNE, Feyzin TICKETS
May 10th 2015 – Les Nuits Botanique, Brussels TICKETS
May 11th 2015 – Rock School Barbey, Bordeaux TICKETS
May 13th 2015 – Le 2 De Apolo, Barcelona TICKETS
May 14th 2015 – El Loco, Barcelona TICKETS
May 15th 2015 – El Sol, Madrid TICKETS
May 16th 2015 – Music Box, Lisbon TICKETS
May 17th 2015 – Hard Club, Porto TICKETS
May 18th 2015 – Auditorio de Orense, Orense TICKETS
May 19th 2015 – INTXAURRONDO, San Sebastian TICKETS
May 21st 2015 – Mattatoio Culture Club, Carpi TICKETS
May 22nd 2015 – Hana Bi, Ravenna TICKETS
May 23rd 2015 – MAME, Padova TICKETS
May 24th 2015 – Arena, Vienna TICKETS
May 26th 2015 – Kranhalle @ Feierwerk, Munich TICKETS
May 27th 2015 – Private Club, Berlin TICKETS
May 28th 2015 – Molotow, Hamburg TICKETS
May 29th 2015 – Loppen, Copenhagen TICKETS
May 30th 2015 – Revolver, Oslo TICKETS
May 31st 2015 – Debaser Strand, Stockholm TICKETS
June 3rd 2015 – Muziekgieterij, Maastricht TICKETS
June 4th 2015 – Rotown, Rotterdam TICKETS
June 5th 2015 – Eindhoven Psych Lab, Eindhoven TICKETS
June 17th 2015 – Welcome to the Village, Leeuwarden TICKETS
June 22nd 2015 – Boomtown Festival, Ghent TICKETS
June 24th 2015 – Hori Smoku Summer Boogaloo, Helsinki TICKETS
3rd September 2015 – Dingwalls, London TICKETS
4th September 2015 – End of the Road Festival, Gardenstown TICKETS
15th September 2015 – Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar, Brighton TICKETS
16th September 2015 – The Louisiana, Bristol TICKETS
17th September 2015 – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff TICKETS
18th September 2015 – The Tin, Coventry TICKETS
19th September 2015 – The Leadmill, Sheffield TICKETS
20th September 2015 – The Bodega, Nottingham TICKETS
22nd September 2015 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds TICKETS
23rd September 2015 – The Georgian Theatre, Stockton TICKETS
24th September 2015 – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow TICKETS
25th September 2015 – Liverpool International Festival Of Psychedelia TICKETS
26th September 2015 – The Workman’s Club, Dublin TICKETS
The full track-listing for ‘Hypnophobia’ is as follows…
‘Another You’
‘Grey Lines’
‘Brightly’
‘Find Yourself’
‘Face to Face’
‘Outside Forever’
‘Before the Dawn’
‘Hypnophobia’
‘Make Me See’
‘All Over’
