A notable absence is a curse: some hope you’ll come back with a completely new sound, others hope that they’ll get the music they’ve dearly missed. Quite often it’s the same person wanting both.
What of Jamie Lenman, then? Departing the much-loved rock trio Reuben in 2008 to focus on an illustrative career and only revealing his intentions of a musical return now, expectations have been high.
Certainly the single release this week pleased and confounded many of those in equal parts. ‘Fizzy Blood’ is at the heaviest, snarliest end of Jamie’s repertoire, while ‘Pretty Please‘ was an unashamed, jaunty swing number complete with horn section and double bass.
Before we talk about that a little more, it’s probably best to clarify a couple of things for the sake of the avid or baffled Lenman fan:
1. The ‘rock’ songs on Muscle Memory – which all sit together on the first half of the record – are all easily as heavy as ‘Fizzy Blood’ at the very least. Vocal melodies are to an absolute minimum, eschewed in favour of staccato screams and gut-driven roars. I can’t emphasise this enough: there is absolutely no compromise.
2. The second half of the record is only represented by ‘Pretty Please‘ in terms of intent rather than setting the tone or genre. The scope of the ‘quieter half’ instead sees Lenman meandering through jazz, bluegrass, swing and even a traditional workers’ song.
I’ll jump in quickly to add that despite my own initial reservations, the gamble of putting together the record in this way has paid off, and in completely unexpected ways.
‘No News Is Good News’ is a particular highlight of the harder efforts – giant riff after giant riff. I have never name-checked Refused in a review before but the unashamed complexity underlying this and other tracks recalls that same sweaty, terrifying confidence. ‘One Of My Eyes Is a Clock‘ is a shock too, the guitar work bordering on technical metal.
Here too, his voice is as much an instrument as it is bile-fuelled PA system – it’s clear that the rugged upgrade to ‘very hard rock indeed’ affects every aspect of the delivery. ‘The Fuck of It All‘ sounds like he’s trying to strangle you through the speakers.
Meanwhile, alongside the spritely, swinging ‘Pretty Please‘ sit some delightful curiosities. The second-half arrangements are certainly authentic in their execution – ‘For God’s Sake‘ is a darkly bluegrass affair, while the aforementioned workers’ song ‘A Day In The Life’ is nothing more than the stamp of boots and collected vocals of solidarity.
Some will doubtless level claims of pretentious grandeur at Lenman, but that’s lazy. Regardless of the musical choices he makes across the record, every track is fiercely well written, and the attention to detail commendable. I’ll accept ‘eccentric’ at most from other critics.
The relief of his singing voice is of course another side to this half of Muscle Memory. The tone and melodies are unmistakeable, which neatly ties every thematic exploration together under something familiar.
The lyrics too are the man at his best, and the soft reflections, regrets and recollections on the second half of the album are notably vulnerable and well put. The unexpected musical settings for each of these only makes them stand out more.
So: Muscle Memory is simultaneously nothing like you’ve heard from Lenman before, and almost a pure distillation of the person he is. It will polarise. It will freak some people out.
None of that affects the fact that this record is nothing less than brilliant. Clear your mind, forget what you know about Jamie, let Reuben go, and give it the time it’s worth. The rewards are manifold.
Muscle Memory is released on November 4th through Xtra Mile. You can pre-order the double disk album in their webstore.
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