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At just 23, Jack (Fabian) Penate is making serious waves on the music scene.
He's light years ahead of his chronoligical age. Visually, on stage, he’s a perplexing
mix of Elvis’s swivel and some sort of yokel farm worker. Penate is no rock’n’roll
throwback, as his music is cutting edge 21st Century pop, with occassional attitude,
when needed.
His debut is full of the promise his singles hinted at. In the songs, which have
large dollops of his south London twang, especially the rushed ones, he’s never
far away from remembering what makes instant impressions. He can unload a good
bit of rockabilly swagger found on previous single Spit At Stars, though
he’s no budding Shakin’ Stevens.
He writes well, particularly the tender ones. My Yvonne can be nobody else
but Penate, a strummed gem with glorious harmonies, heavenly backups, oh and
that simplest of drum thuds. Stripping things back, just a bit, bumpy soul
inflected Learning Lines is another single contender.
Striking the indie zone, the throbbing rush of Second, Minute Or Hour
shows he’s a match for the Arctic Monkeys anyday, as is Run For Your Life.
Got My Favourite... touches on Just Jack, a nifty dance beast with a
monster chorus.
Going down the cool road, We Will Be Here is a song that defies his age,
boosted by midway thrusting riffs, soaring vocals and lush orchestation. Just
for fun, he slaps down a rasping Ska blast for Torn On The Platform that
goes on a freewheel mission to the dizzy heights of 1978.
A Jack of all trades.
This easy-on-the-ear clever eclectic mix kicks into action with bouncy Middle
Age, a take on the benefits of, well, middle age. With horn blasts, and steady
beat, he reflects on the virtues of middle age, though not melancholically, as
the upbeat brings a kind of celebration. An even catchier Strange Names
follows,and possesses a Springsteen-like quality, with an almost full-on Wall
Of Sound, and funnily enough there’s a New Jersey reference.
Then there’s the atmospheric Simply Spalding Gray that ambles gently
with windpipes texturising the gaps, after which he hits country mode on the
sweet clog-happy Man I Miss That Girl, and in a similar frame he uses
pedal steel to bring out the melancholy of You’re Meant For Me. Best of
the bunch is the mellow, mid-paced My Seaside Brown-Eyed Girl, which would
make an excellent single, and possibly reach the BBC Radio 2 playlist.
Crunching rocker The Baghdad Dream sees Forbert lash out at the Iraq
invasion, in the same way Neil Young had pop on Living With War. Reprising
his best known song and US hit, Romeo’s Tune, he signs off with this
glorious, oh yes, Dylan-like classic.
1. Spit At Stars
2. Got My Favourite....
3. Have I Been A Fool ?
4. Torn On The Platform
5. Learning Lines
6. Run For Your Life
7. We Will Be Here
8. Made Of Codes
9. My Yvonne
10. Second, Minute Or Hour
11. When We Die
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.