They say that it is best to write about what you know. And what does anyone know more intimately than their day-to-day life, thoughts and feelings, routines and experiences, hopes and fears, highs and lows? And so, Little Juke’s debut album, the beautifully named Departures From The States of Mind, is an almost diary-like suite of songs that allow us to wander with them through their everyday lives.
And if the autobiographical nature of the lyrics is a bold move, musically, they are just as adventurous – the songs wandering around many indie-infused landscapes, mixing it with rock, pop, Britpop, even finding some folk finesse and R&B-driven grooviness.
“Round of Applause” is the killer anthem that would have defined Britpop, or at least its more punchy, rock-leaning, brutal end, were this thirty years ago. By contrast, “Time on My Mind,” which follows, runs on a slow, grinding garage rock vibe, and “When The Sea Came to Tea” (another cool title) is a cinematic and beautiful piece of atmospheric soundscaping that seems wonderfully attuned to Bowie’s Berlin years, John Williams’ film scores and an almost prog-rock creativity, all at once.
“Death of the Handshake” is remarkable. It is a standout track on an album of standout tracks. It is a Western indie tune blended with Eastern, arabesque sounds, the perfect meeting of occidental groove and oriental spice.
Departures From The States of Mind is a remarkable album, one that shifts kaleidoscopically in and out of the indie realm, dancing sure-footed through any number of neighboring generic pastures and doing so deftly and delicately. Superb!
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