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► Jim Kroft - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Album review)
Jim Kroft - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
By Alex Brady
I like to say nice things about albums, but it doesn’t happen as often as I’d like so I’m going to relish the chance to talk about Jim Croft’s new album “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”.
The first thing to grab my attention was the album cover which seems to have been extracted from Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” video. I hoped the album itself wouldn’t betray my interest with low quality music, and praise be to the musical gods, it didn’t.
Kroft’s voice bares a great resemblance to Mika’s, when he’s not reaching into the frequencies only dogs are privy to; but what’s a voice without the music to back it up? Kroft brings a refreshing use of the orchestral to his music, “One Sees the Sun” highlighting this perfectly. It’s depressing that people think music can only be made by guitars and drums, ignoring the vast arsenal of instruments that have been used for centuries to create some of the world’s most iconic works. Not only does Kroft use orchestral instruments, but he uses them well, bringing a confidence to his music and an appreciation for the noises that lie behind the lyrics.
Add an infectious feel of cheeky fun, akin to Paul McCartney and his almighty thumbs up, and you have an album that’s perfect for the gentle summer evenings we all long for this year. Excellent composition, splendid musical variety, hypnotic lyrics pour into your head and draw out a heart warming smile rarely found in music these days.
Retro's grade: 1st
