Sunday 13 May 2012

"Crumbs of Comfort" Jinder (Mighty Village)

It`s always a pleasure to put on a new work by one of the Souths hard working, almost legendary writer/performers and one of the most incredible things his following would have witnessed over the years , is the constant adjustment to social climate and web trends that JINDER`s music has battled through. His projects remain a great example of maintaining a public interest in his forthcoming works and performances, whilst still finding time to almost "leak" great entertaining songs along the way onto the internet that seemingly have nothing to do with the final golden goal. Vital foresight, at a time in which it would be so easy to have heard many an album in many formats before it is finally compiled and released.
And so it is, we come to "CRUMBS OF COMFORT" , a suitably organically looking package offered on Ian Browns` MIGHTY VILLAGE label. So, I`m guessing that this is technically the fourth actual JINDER album and from the very first note , a grunt of new maturity has come out of the tall ones throat, rendering no earlier work less important in any way, but showing the listener that enough thought has been left , stamped produced and developed on in the most thoughtful way and that this is going to be a project for life.
There is a wonderful earthiness in the opening cut "THE BIRDS WILL STILL BE SINGING", a song in which you can hear and feel the roads awaking up in the morning on the way home from endless tours of the UK. Not for the first time currently, do I detect a CAT STEVENS influence on a contemporary singer, which I find quite interesting in an artist that doesnt seem to be on many peoples lips still being an influence. On Track 3, "YOU DON`T HAVE TO BE ALONE", after reading the credits, I was preparing myself for a change in production values as the evergreen STEVE DARREL SMITH, apparently leaves the helm and is replace by JINDER himself and then augmented further by fellow ex MERCURY MEN players SIMON JOHNSOn and GAVIN WYATT.
But fear not, this is not an album of odds and ends, the sound and feel remain a project along the same train line going to the same station from start to finish.  I`m not sure or not whether or not "LET MY LOVE BE YOUR SHELTER" is a new recording of the MERCURY MEN`s offering or not, as I only have a very low quality MP3 of it myself and only know the song. Its crisp and gorgeously represented here with full harmony and radiobility, and being what it is in its genre, could be a hit for artist or anyone at anytime still. The classic "KEEP ME IN YOUR HEART" is also given a treatment and outing on this album, with a higher "rock" value than I have heard before-if you dont know this tune by now-just check it out in any format you want by the way, it`s simply one of those all time classic songs.
I remain confused and amused by the little tune "WEDDING SONG" at track 6 on the album, it`s cuddly impatience made me chuckle a bit in its almost ironic delivery, which may well not have been intended-but thats a live performer for you . Ive listed many more songs by name than I normally would have done in a review of this kind, and due to the high level of writing , its very hard not too, but I will tell you that Im not going to actually name my favourite two tracks on the album at all here, so you can dig them out for yourself.
"CRUMBS OF COMFORT " is an album born by the fireside for you to take down the beach this summer and many more to come, a breaking down of a very long current train of thought into 10 select songs for you. Where are the other ones living this week we wonder??;)

JINDER  "CRUMBS OF COMFORT" Mighty Village 7.5/10