Italian-English solo acoustic singer Jack Savoretti has released his fifth album Sleep No More.
By Jane Howkins.
Italian-English singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti recently released his new album Sleep No More, and it’s certainly worth checking out! We’re ashamed to say it, but we hadn’t actually heard of Jack Savoretti before listening to Sleep No More, and with the slew of singer-songwriter’s that have come out of the woodwork recently, we were a little apprehensive. However, there was no need to fear as his latest album is a blinder, and original enough to stand out from the crowd.
As previously stated, Savoretti is half Italian and half English – lending a different, more exotic feel to his work. There’s certainly a continental feel to the album, and it makes for a nice mix. In the past, Savoretti has described this album as being an ‘open love letter to his wife’ and that’s certainly true, with many of the songs here being love songs and ballads. That might put people off, but with song-writing as good as this it’s no issue, and there’s a song here that everyone will love.
There is a certain sentimentality to the tracks on offer, but it comes across as genuine which is impressive, considering that the line between being genuine and cheesy is one often crossed within the singer-songwriter genre. I’m Yours and Tight Rope are particular examples of this, managing to be both heartfelt and catchy at the same time. Savoretti’s vocals are also excellent, with a certain warmth drifting across his lyrics that never sounds like it’s being forced.
Whilst a lot of the songs on the album do delve into the realms of balladry, there are also tracks here with a more up tempo beat. Examples include lead single When We Were Lovers and Troubled Souls, which both provide welcome breaks to the softer songs on display – although that isn’t to say that the quieter songs aren’t great, as they most certainly are.
That’s the thing about Sleep No More – pretty much every song on display is great and whatever sort of tempo you prefer, you will find something to like (if not love) here. This is an excellent album and one that displays a wonderful variation of musical styles. We’ll certainly be diving into Savoretti’s back catalogue, and you should too!