I'm a fairly new James Maddock fan, but that doesn't mean I wasn't ridiculously excited for this album's release. Another Life is British born Maddock's third studio release following Sunrise on Ave. C, and Wake up & Dream. Just like I did when I got my ears around Jimmy/Immy Live at Rockwood Music Hall, since I downloaded Another Life I haven't stopped listening to it. And I am thrilled to report that I LOVE this record.
Stylistically, this record is all over the place, but that's a good thing. From tracks with a country feel to one with a reggae-ish feel, to classic Maddock, this record has all the bases covered. Maddock achieved the stripped down, acoustic feel of this record by employing a small team of multi-instrumentalists, Tony Scherr and Larry Campbell, and a few guest players.
Another Life is a lyrical goldmine. Maddock continues to show that he is a brilliant songwriter with these thirteen tracks. As I listen to them over and over again, it feels more and more like bits of the songs, bits of the lyrics, have been ripped right out of my heart, my soul. There are very few songwriters that have that kind of pull with me, and they are the one's I'll hold onto forever.
The record opens with the title track, Another Life, a song about things we wish we could do, just up and leave the life we have now and go on epic adventures, learn new things, become a better person. Who, at some point in their life, hasn't wanted another life, another shot at things? Really, this song speaks to us all.What I Miss is a memory to Maddock's home town of Leicester, England, now famous for being the place where the skeleton of Richard III was un-earthed in a car park. I think that this song has struck such a cord with me because I recently (just over a year ago) moved away from my home town, from the place I lived for 29 years, and as of late have been feeling slightly homesick, and this song had kinda helped with that. Don't Go Lonely brings a different feel to the middle of the record with it's reggae-ish, calypso-ish beat and super awesome harmonica. This song was a pleasant surprise, I really like it. It's great song with a great beat, and great lyrics.
Probably my favorite song on the record, What Have I Done? is a heartbreaking story of losing someone you love:
What have I done / to the life we had / what have I done to feel this bad? / to feel this bad / what have I done? / What have I done to the girl I love? / what have I done? / what was I thinking of? / what was I thinking of?
But for as sad and gut wrenching the lyrics are, the song itself is beautiful, and contains probably one of the greatest lines I've heard in a very long time:
Fireflies in the graveyard dance / looking for each other in the dark
Better on My Own is another favorite, it hits along the same lines as What I Miss, with the whole living far away from my family and being homesick thing; I guess this song, and this record really, is just perfect for how I've been feeling lately, and I love records and songs that I can thoroughly relate to, and this one does a really good job with that.
In one of the sweetest songs ever, If I Had a Son, Maddock sings of things he'd do if he had a son. The sweetness of the lyrics and simple acoustic guitar give the song a lullaby-like feel, but also shows hints of Kenny Loggins' Danny's Song, but this song seems more intimate in its telling.All around this is a GREAT album, all the tracks I've highlighted and every song in-between and brilliant. James Maddock has proved once again to be a masterful songwriter and musician (and really, the guy is super adorable; he, in appearance, reminds me of a Hobbit, a tall Hobbit, and that my friends, is a great compliment) The official release date of Another Life is yet to be determined, but it'll be sometime soon, I'm sure. Head on over to jamesmaddock.net for more info.
