Jill Jackson - Are We There Yet?

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 17 / 7 / 2018

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Yes, you’re there all right, Jill. For her fifth album Paisley-born but now Glasgow-based Jill Jackson explores her country side while reminiscing about her life; the happy car trips with her family as a young girl, the story of how her grandparents met, the anxiety she suffered as a teenager and the pain of knowing that she is losing someone very dear and close to her. So five albums in and Jill Jackson is certainly there musically; ten original songs that nicely slot into the country camp while also taking in side glances from other genres. But the album’s title is obviously taken from that well-known and hated cry from the back seat that every parent dreads, so we’ll start with the title track even though it doesn’t show until track three. Opening with Jill’s mandolin her crystal clear vocals detail the family holidays to Blackpool, firstly in a Nissan Bluebird before upgrading (?) to a Rover, all the while bickering with her siblings but still finding time to sing along to Buddy Holly. That Jill can capture the true essence of what the majority of us have lived through so articulately is but one part of her talents. She’s wrapped not only this tale but also all of the songs on this album in such warm, addictive melodies it’s impossible not to love them on first listen. ‘1954’ opens the album and is the story of Jill’s grandparents meeting set to a country shuffle complete with pedal steel courtesy of Gustaf Ljunggren who shines throughout on these songs; he plays a variety of instruments, lapsteel, saxophone, clarinet, banjolele, electric mandolin, guitar and organ; he contributes much to the overall sound. ‘My Baby’ finds Ljunggren abandoning the pedal steel for clarinet on a song which displays Jill’s love of jazz and proves that she can switch styles with ease and come out winning. Mention should also go here to Euan Burton; his double bass is also present on the majority of these songs and, while each and every musician who plays on the album puts in an excellent performance, Burton’s contribution certainly also plays an important part in the sound that renowned musician/producer Boo Hewerdine (The Bible) has captured here. The upbeat ‘Finally’ betrays the lyrical content; the struggles and pain of a couple who part but who finally find each other again. There’s a touch of doo-wop in there as Hewerdine’s Farfisa Organ lends the song an unexpected carefree almost reggae-ish feel, while Burton’s double bass and Ljunggren’s saxophone add jazz leanings. ‘Worries’ is another song that many will relate to. It is a pure country number with Tim Davidson providing the pedal steel this time, while lines such as “ I don’t selfies ‘cause I’ve got a life” and “Now I can bend, though I bend I don’t break” will break open a few smiles; it’s a positive song despite the title. ‘Sweet Lullaby’ is a beautiful ballad featuring Kathleen MacInnes on vocals; Hewerdine’s glockenspiel makes the song even more delicate and affecting. ‘Hope and Gasoline’ finds Jill in reflective mode again; it’s another car song, this time her Vauxhall Cavalier giving the seventeen year-old Jill the freedom she needed at the time to leave her troubles behind even if just for a short while. ‘Dynamite’ is another song where the music is at odds with the lyrics. A destructive relationship is the basis for this life affirming tune. One of those tunes that will have you singing along before you fully understand the lyrics, it’s another remarkable performance not just vocally but from the whole band. The album closes with ‘Goodbye’ and in Jill’s own words “I started this song as my gran got sick…and I finished it when she passed.” Throughout the album there’s a feeling that Jill has lived through every situation that she is singing about; that the stories are real and the honesty in her voice, which has a kind of honeyed huskiness to it at times, is there upfront. On this song about the fear of loss there’s no denying that Jill is singing from her heart. The emotion that Jill is feeling is real, and one wonders how she put in such a perfect performance vocally without breaking down on this particular track. ‘Are We There Yet?’ is more than a brilliant country album; the shades and textures that Jill and her band and producer use from other genres such as jazz and folk show that she’s not afraid to push boundaries and take risks. If there’s a fault with this album it’s that it contains only ten songs. I could listen to Jill Jackson all day.

Track Listing:-

1 1954
2 My Baby
3 Are We There Yet?
4 Finally
5 Worries
6 Needle and Thread
7 Sweet Lullaby
8 Hope and Gasoline
9 Dynamite
10 Goodbye

Band Links:-

https://en-gb.facebook.com/jilljacksonofficial/
http://www.jilljackson.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/hellowhitevinyl

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