Initially a low key
release through new London independent label RG Records,
Just Jack's debut album 'The
Outer Marker' received fantastic reviews. The Independent
called it “impressive”, Q said, “masterful” and
Time Out said, “Moody. Mean. Bloody marvellous”.
Features in the NME - “Awesome. Welcome Just Jack,
you rule!”, and The Big Issue quickly followed this
praise and Jack has been hailed as “The new troubadour
of daily life in the UK”.
There has been such a groundswell
of support from the media that the album has now been
re-packaged with extra
tracks and the video for ‘Snowflakes’. The
album now includes a new track ‘Lesson One’ and
Xfm DJ Eddy Temple Morris’ Cure bootleg of ‘Snowflakes’.
Airplay on XFM, remixes from the
likes of Aphrodite and a now famous Cure bootleg of ‘Snowflakes’ which
was called “the first classic single of 2003”,
are further propelling Just Jack into the limelight, but
this is a character who’ll be able to handle it.
Jack's confidence is infectious-for
a man playing his first two gigs ever to sold-out crowds
at Cargo and The
Scala, he displayed no fear at all. Instead he radiated
good vibes, grinned like a Cheshire cat and lapped up the
considerable buzz. It’s as if he was born to do it-
bantering with the crowd, introducing the band - there’s
no studied cool rock star posturing here. Nor is he trying
to ape the success of anyone else.
There’s an honesty and strength to the words of
Jack’s songs that truly mark the difference between
a studio bound experimenter and a future star - it’s
the courage to speak the uncomfortable truths that makes
Jack a true artist. Take the machismo-smashing honesty
of ‘Lesson One’ and its mockery of lad culture,
or the love-hate frustrations of ‘Triple Tone Eyes’-behind
all Jack’s lyrics you’ll find the kernel of
truth that stays hidden in most everyday situations.
“I never had heroes and never wanted to be like
other musicians”, he says. “ I have no affiliations
to anyone, I’m not part of a gang, I’m not
a part of a scene and I don’t have a sound that’s
obviously a part of a scene. I’m Just Jack.”
Jack and his band played his third
ever gig to a great crowd at the Glastonbury Dance Tent
and is performing at
the V Festivals (16 Aug - Stafford and 17 Aug – Chelmsford
- 2 pm – dance tent ) this summer.
Further gigs include The Carling Festival, (Leeds 5pm
- dance tent - 22 August), and Reading (5pm - dance tent
- 24 Aug) and Edinburgh Underbelly 23 August.
‘The Outer Marker’ is
re-released 11th August.
