By Bands are constantly releasing new music, but in the music industry it seems to be albums that make the most impact. It’s probably due to the thought and consideration of structuring an album, having a hidden message, the artwork or even just making a cracking playlist! 2016 has certainly served up some beauties for our ears and it’s only fair that we celebrate their excellence.
Jamie T has safely left his mark on 2016 with the release of his new album, ‘Trick’; reinvented through experimentation and comfortable boundary pushing, a fresh setlist of songs graced our music libraries in early September, shortly followed by a series of legendary gigs, showcasing their full live potential.
From the sprightly and high-spirited tracks such as ‘Robin Hood’ to the more lethargic ones like ‘Sign Of The Times’, ‘Trick’ harbours a diverse array to choose from, all maintaining the intoxicatingly comparable sound unique to Jamie T; it’s hard to place your finger on what it is that allows you to immediately identify his work, but whatever it is, there’s definitely an abundance of it in everything he has produced.
We were introduced to ‘Tinfoil Boy’ which was released as a single back at the end of June; the taster of the new album seemed promising, bearing somewhat of a plot twist which I concluded needed an acquired taste and a lot of listens to attain the true exhilarating listening experience, followed by ‘Power Over Men’ in August, seeming to fit the expectations from the Jamie T we’ve come to know.
Embarking on a mind-blowing series of gigs from October to November, it’s been proven that these aren’t just perfect tunes to blast through your headphones on the bus; they really come to life in the chaotically colourful mosh pits jam packed with regular concert-goers and first-timers all chanting ‘Tescoland’ to one another, while pits half the size of the concert hall begin opening up ready for uncontrollable carnage.
‘Trick’ desperately deserves to qualify for Best Album of 2016, if not for the disparate nature of its contents, then for the sheer catchiness of the melodies and choruses they have to offer.
