Jake Morley - Many Fish to Fry

  by Lisa Torem

published: 16 / 1 / 2011

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Review

British lap guitar player and singer-songwriter Jake Morley has a mind that, when opened, must look just like a Rubik’s Cube. He creates stories with infinite wisdom, exploring many different angles, and his new CD ‘Many Fish to Fry’ provides the perfect framework. Not surprisingly, the man can tell these stories incredibly well during a solo act or with a full band, and in this case, he deals out the cards both ways, even including a choir on the catchy ‘Feet Don’t Fail Me Now.’ With the assistance of producers Phill Brown and Calum MacColl, just the right amount of crafting was implemented vocally, lyrically and instrumentally. The recording was completed in a record six days. Currently, he performs to full houses at London’s prestigious Ronnie Scott Club, though his former incarnation included penning ads and lyrics for the musical ‘Famished.’ The talented artist, however, seems to have little trouble focusing on a completely different type of project and this album is a gem. “There’s more to honesty than telling the truth and sometimes I don’t talk straight,” he explains, in his lyric booklet, when introducing ‘The Light.’ The words are crisply laid out as Morley explains, humanly, how scary it can be to reveal one’s inner emotions. ‘Feet Don’t Fail Me Now’ is an amalgam of spoken word and that glorious choir previously mentioned. But, the party really gets started when he sings ‘I Saw Something.’ It’s a sort of Jason Mrazzy romp that totally swathes Morley’s warm tones; it suits his style distinctively with great bits of instrumentation sandwiched between various verses. ‘Reeling’ is another one that stirs the heart. With a voice that is translucent, he beautifully commands this sanguine melody. ‘This City’ shores up the tension. It’s an urban rant, “This city makes me cry/I wear a shirt and tie/Oh why oh why?" ‘Freddie Laid the Smackdown’ is a fabulous jazz-rap which further allows that infectious gritty urban sensibility to shine through. ‘Pondering On a Scenario in Which I Am the Hero’ is a picturesque fantasy a bout the allure of invincibility. Morley sings, “Golden words come tumbling, shimmering out straight from my soul.” ‘Sideline’ is more down to earth. It is a gently, whispered warning to a wavering lover, but a grand sweep of a ballad, nevertheless. The instrumentals crescendo dreamily making it that much more emotional. ‘Be With Me Once More’ is edgy. “I’m a hard-earned pay cheque/You’ll need to pay the bills.” This is a super-charged rag steeped in rhythm. The amusing ‘Many Fish to Fry’ is a Brechtian escapade. “This album’s a flop so I open a shop called Jake Morley’s Famously Lassmaking Sandwich Emporium Shop” he sings. Brass and harp-like sounds ooze out of every corner. ‘Inside My Mind’, a sobering, sweet finale, reveals images as light as floating glitter, yet still results in a final product which is deceptively and incredibly deep. ‘Many Fish to Fry’ is a meal in itself.

Track Listing:-

1 The Light
2 Feet Don't Fail Me Now
3 I Saw Something
4 Reeling
5 This City
6 Freddie Laid The Smack Down
7 Pondering On A Scenario In Which I Am The Hero
8 Sideline
9 Be With Me Once More
10 Many Fish To Fry
11 Inside My Mind

Have a Listen:-