There is always a place in my heart for pop songs performed properly. It makes a change from the near standard reliance on power chords and volume to make an impression on the listener’s ears these days. From that you will – quite rightly – that there are some quality songs to be found on Luke Jackson’s album.
There’s certainly a jauntiness to the likes of “Goodbye London” or “Come Tomorrow” that harkens back to simpler times of seventies’ British musical domination. There is also little doubt that this album is the work of a craftsman and it certainly bears comparison with the output of such luminaries as Matthew Sweet and Khalid Hanifi with further evidence of the care and attention that has been lavished here to be found in the subtly uplifting orchestrations, courtesy of Robert Kirby, that add both elegance and variety. Having said that, my favourite here was the retro sounding “Half A World Away” – it’s a bouncing ball of a song.
It’s been a while since I last heard this album - one of the occupational hazards of reviewing is that you rarely get the chance to listen to music purely for pleasure - so this was indeed a welcome re-release. Nicely packaged and good sounding, “And Then Some” will make a welcome addition to your collection.