{"id":84664,"date":"2019-07-03T16:00:09","date_gmt":"2019-07-03T15:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/?p=84664"},"modified":"2023-04-07T14:26:22","modified_gmt":"2023-04-07T13:26:22","slug":"review-jamie-lenman-shuffle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/review-jamie-lenman-shuffle\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Jamie Lenman – Shuffle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"When music paid the bills, Jamie Lenman<\/strong> was miserable. You could hear it in every song he wrote for Reuben. However, now music is more of a hobby, it\u2019s given him freedom.\u00a0 You literally have no idea what he will do next. \u2018Shuffle\u2019<\/em> is another curveball. It\u2019s a collection of cover versions and reinterpretations of songs, each presented in a unique style. It certainly sounds like he\u2019s enjoying himself.<\/p>\n

Most recent album \u2018Devolver<\/em>\u2019 was full of experimental ideas, here the same approach is taken to the Nth degree. Every song is different. Each with so little in common the album hangs together like the parents\u2019 coats at a school talent show. That\u2019s kinda the point. He\u2019s offering sketches and ideas over a wide sonic palette.\u00a0 Some sparkle with brilliance, some don\u2019t, but everything is worthwhile. So, in many ways, it feels like a rarities collection, but as you rummage through you can find some real gems.<\/p>\n

At its best, songs like \u2018Tomorrow Never Knows<\/em>\u2019 feel rich and complete. They explore new avenues and play on his strengths. His take on Seal\u2019s \u2018Killer<\/em>\u2019 might be muted but it is also disarmingly honest. Similarly, piano ballad \u2018The Rememberance<\/em>\u2019 trades on the heartfelt style of his best work. He also tries his hand at theme tunes with both \u2018Adamantium Rage<\/em>\u2019 and \u2018Taxi Driver<\/em>\u2019 capturing a kind of cinematic magic.<\/p>\n