Jamie Sutherland is the frontman of Edinburgh`s Broken Records and grew up listening to the likes of Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and the Everly Brothers. He releases his latest solo album `The World As It Used To Be` this month which follows on from his debut album `Bruise`.
The album begins with `Start Again` a love song with an expansive feel. There`s harmonica hues which nods towards his adolescent influences. The charming piano and strings give it an almost cinematic feel leading us in on an uplifting note. There`s a kind of appeal or plea that runs throughout the vocal delivery for maybe not redemption but possibly understanding on `Like You Did Before`.
`Some Things Hurt A Little More` has a more introspective contemplation shared over an intricately fingerpicked rhythmic guitar chord riff. The piano keys towards the end adds a further sense of poignancy. The loss of loved ones is acknowledged on `You Were My Friend` and this number that could have been quite melancholy becomes a delightfully uplifting eulogy to those gone before us.
`While I Sleep` gently rolls along and reflects a past love, a simple submission that has a superbly haunting appeal. I read that `Always Be` is about the singers’ ties with the place he feels he belongs to, which in Jamie`s case is the Moray Firth coastline in the Northeast of Scotland. A tender number that is a wonderfully compelling listen.
`All You’ve Ever Known Of Love` is another aching reflection that narrates a tale of two lovers trying to resolve a dilemma by simply talking things over. Title track `The World As It Used To Be` is what the artist has referred to as a “worry song” where he expresses the turmoil of recent times and his concerns for his children in a world of such uncertainly. An understandably personal meditation shared over a melodic up tempo rhythmic folk tinged backing which includes harmonica hues.
The album closes out with a final reflective piece with the thought provoking `We Will Rise`, an absorbing listen that re-iterates that hope will survive despite all else. The orchestrated strings add to the overall emotion of this final optimistic offering.
I wasn’t familiar with Jamie Sutherland to be honest and had a quick listen to his previous album and have to admit that `The World As It Used To Be` seems to reflect a maturity in not only the lyrical content but in the musical compositions shared.
There were numbers that had an uncomplicatedness about them but for me less was definitely more, this kind of embodied the idea that simplicity and restraint can be more impactful than complexity or excessive ornamentation. Some of the songs shared felt timeless, harmonious, and elegant.
`The World As It Used To Be` should maybe be rebranded as the world as it should be.
Rating 8.5/10
