Jim Kroft:
Lunatic Lullabies:
EMI:
CD/Download:
April 14:
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Adopted Berliner Kroft was recently described as Nik Kershaw mixed with David Bowie by Rolling Stone. Now I'm just as partial to comparing like-as-like artists as the next blog but con-joining The Riddle with Ziggy Stardust is pushing it, even for the Stone (bless 'em).
Jim Kroft isn't a million miles away from the once-sprouty haired Kershaw - them thar songs on Lunatic Lullabies do possess some whopping great choruses that recall Howard Jones, Lightning Seeds and, er, The Wanted in places. For the most part though, Kroft manages to keep things dark enough so as not to be confused with radio-friendly popstarts, delivering urbane anthems that are sure to retain his popularity in Germany and possibly, possibly, may give him a long overdue homeland shoe-in over here.
Refreshingly, no song exceeds four minutes in length, suggesting that young Jim has ordained himself into the chartered institute of 'pop' songwriters after all. I Hope You Know and Tell Me (Where To Begin) sound like minor hits deserving of a spot of playlisting on national radio while The Hooligan Army sounds like it could have been lifted from New Order's most-recent sessions (minus the customary bass). Threads starts like a Daughter track (the current in-vogue style of choice, it seems) and both this and the punchy There's Something Missing echo what Kroft was getting up to on his previous album, The Hermit and the Hedonist. The former dates back from 2008 and is, according to its creator, the song that refused to die.
On the whole, these Lunatic Lullabies aren't as lunatic as first suggested. In fact, most of the dozen songs are accomplished and slick, straight-forward and reliable without being cliched or trite. Only the running order begs for a change of pace earlier - song six, Threads, is a relief after so much 'pop' in one burst - but overall, Jim Kroft is a songwriter whose music ought to stand the test of time.
Lunatic Lullabies:
EMI:
CD/Download:
April 14:
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Jim Kroft isn't a million miles away from the once-sprouty haired Kershaw - them thar songs on Lunatic Lullabies do possess some whopping great choruses that recall Howard Jones, Lightning Seeds and, er, The Wanted in places. For the most part though, Kroft manages to keep things dark enough so as not to be confused with radio-friendly popstarts, delivering urbane anthems that are sure to retain his popularity in Germany and possibly, possibly, may give him a long overdue homeland shoe-in over here.
Refreshingly, no song exceeds four minutes in length, suggesting that young Jim has ordained himself into the chartered institute of 'pop' songwriters after all. I Hope You Know and Tell Me (Where To Begin) sound like minor hits deserving of a spot of playlisting on national radio while The Hooligan Army sounds like it could have been lifted from New Order's most-recent sessions (minus the customary bass). Threads starts like a Daughter track (the current in-vogue style of choice, it seems) and both this and the punchy There's Something Missing echo what Kroft was getting up to on his previous album, The Hermit and the Hedonist. The former dates back from 2008 and is, according to its creator, the song that refused to die.
On the whole, these Lunatic Lullabies aren't as lunatic as first suggested. In fact, most of the dozen songs are accomplished and slick, straight-forward and reliable without being cliched or trite. Only the running order begs for a change of pace earlier - song six, Threads, is a relief after so much 'pop' in one burst - but overall, Jim Kroft is a songwriter whose music ought to stand the test of time.