Jawbone are a London-based four-piece whose eponymous debut has been making considerable waves since it was first announced. A collaboration between solo artists Paddy Milner and Marcus Bonfanti (alongside members Rex Horan and Evan Jenkins), the band have made a considerable name for themselves on the live circuit, with a notable career peak being when they were chosen to back Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and Tom Jones at Paul Jones’ charity show at G-Live in Guildford. The ten tracks of the record were cut live (with minimal overdubs) at London’s State of the Ark studio before being mixed in New Zealand by Nick Portman and mastered in Devon by Star Delta. All along the way, the emphasis has been on getting the most powerful, organic sound possible, and an effort was made to bounce the final master to analogue tape to add additional warmth to the final product – a tiny detail indicative of the care the band invest in their work.
Kicking off with the horn-soaked glory of Leave no traces, Jawbone quickly set out their stall as a classic rock ‘n’ roll band taking inspiration from the likes of Rolling Stones, The Band, Eric Clapton and the like. The very first song the band wrote together, following a few abortive initial sessions, leave no traces has a warm rhythm to it and the interwoven vocals add depth to the piece, as does a stinging guitar solo in the middle eight. It’s the perfect lead in to the album, and a powerful statement of intent to boot. Next up get what you deserve, with its taut, two-part harmony, takes aim at the sort of musician who seems to radiate entitlement. A searing example of the band’s no-nonsense attitude, get what you deserve packs a powerful punch. In contrast, the countrified when your gun is loaded (a song about shooting yourself in the foot), sees Jawbone firmly in The Band territory, whilst the bluesy swing of family man offers up some sublime harmonies and a lysergic beat. It leaves bet on yesterday to close out side one (marked as such, even on the CD, which goes to show that the band think in vinyl terms regardless) with a piano-led track that makes grand use of the lush production to deliver an evocative piece of music that does much to recall the grand music halls of yesteryear with piano, strings and a heartfelt vocal all drawing the listener in. It’s an ambitious, soaring, beautiful piece of music and it brings the first half to an epic end that ows as much to Sergio Leone as it does to Robbie Robertson.
Side two kicks off with rolling on the underground, a bouncy, bluesy cut with a tough rhythm and plenty of action on the ivories, designed to get the crowd moving as Jawbone drawn on the likes of the Black Crowes and Ben Folds. The spirit of seventies-era Clapton is summoned next for the hard-rocking Big old smoke, whilst sit round the table is another countrified number which slows the pace nicely as friends and family gather together in a warm place to reaffirm their love for one another. An album highlight, even as it draws towards its end, Two billion heartbeats is a lovely piece of blues-infused pop music with a memorable melody driven by whimsical beat before the record finally spins to its conclusion with the gentle the years use to mean so much, a late-night lament to be sung at the closing of the day.
Beautifully produced and played, Jawbone’s debut album deftly treads that fine line between blues pastiche and originality as the band draw in other elements along the way. There’s a real love for the music they celebrate across the ten tracks on offer and an analogue warmth to the sound that is entirely irresistible. A fine effort, it looks set to bring jawbone to a wider audience still, and deservedly so. 9
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