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AltSounds > Reviews | Jared McCloud – Painful Words Of Loving Grace [Album]

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Jared McCloud – Painful Words Of Loving Grace [Album]

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Jared McCloud – Painful Words Of Loving Grace [Album]

Self-released

by , and has been Read 2315 times.
Last Edited by: Chris MUG5 Maguire March 21st, 2011.

If you've not yet heard of Jared McCloud then I suggest you read on because you may well be missing out on one of music's best kept secrets. I used to be like you; the kind of person that called themselves a music fan but still asked 'Who?' whenever someone mentioned Jared McCloud. That was before I picked up his latest album and found that actually, The State of Things To Come is about as bright a prospect as anything you will discover this year!

Album opener 'Awake' is a subdued track that showcases the extraordinary talent that Jared possesses. A gentle, slow lullaby that features just Jared, his acoustic guitar and bizarrely enough, some morse code – a gentle melody with some vibrant chord changes that demonstrates Jared to be a very skilful guitarist. For a short while, Jared hides the full extent of his msucial talents. Many of the album's first few tracks adhere to a similar, slow, melodical tone. Jared concentrates on his own acoustic skills, wearing his heart on sleeve for gentle whispers in the wind such as '11:11' and 'Long Way Home,' showcasing his vulnerable, yet powerful vocals, reminiscent of the legendary Bruce Springsteen!

In fact, it is not until 'The Comet,' - mid-album where we really see the compositional skills of Jared and his band. His bassist excels himself in this number, creating the ideal earthy atmosphere for the album to kick off on whilst his drummer demonstrates an effortless ability to change from heavier numbers to more gentle ballads.

It is with 'Behind Doors Closed' when Jared finally delivers on his potential as an astute rocker; a simple yet in-your-face rock album inspired by such classic tracks as 'Born To Run' and Phil Collins' 'In The Air Tonight.' A modern approach to post grunge but not losing its pop sensibilities, the track has broad appeal to a modern listenership and stirs up memories of late 90s rock anthems.

Jared McCloud is not one to stick to a certain genre however and his album continues with the folk-tinged 'Only Chemicals' and the well titled 'Baby's Sweet Lullaby.' A gentle, almost hushed song, 'Baby's Sweet Lullaby' is led brilliantly by the acoustic prowess of McCloud himself, incorporating all manner of backing instruments from the percussion line.

By the time you reach closing track 'No Place for Lovers,' Jared McCloud has already proved his diverse set of musical skills but explores one further genre as he creates the perfect blues track, his lyrics exploring the intriguing subject of lost hope.

Jared McCloud is that rare thing; an artist that just cannot be compared to any of his contemporaries. His musical spectrum is about as broad as it is possible to be as he encompasses practically every rock sub-genre you can imagine. I would say that he is a talent and that this album is not far off astonishing but that wouldn't even begin to do him justice.

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