ayushi
Jules Rendell is back on the music scene with her new album “IMAGINE”. The debut album is a departure from her soul-jazz offering The Lotusbloom EP (2014).
The album attempts to glorify the lesson of “carpe deim”, that is, to live in the moment. But instead of asking the listeners to ignore their troubles, the songs urge them to accept them and turn them into positive. “IMAGINE” in other words attempts to teach self-love and acceptance.
Below is our detailed review of the album:
Old Friend
The song is the only song in the album that has celebratory pop tune. Although the complete album follows the genre of soul, “Old Friend” defies the definition at several levels.
Thematically, the song is an ode to the beautiful friendship that the singer seems to miss. She is calling out to those times that can no longer be accessed. But instead of creating a sad song, the singer turns nostalgia into a happy affair.
This song is sure to bring back a lot of good as well as bad memories. Grab your tissue, girl!
Let Go and Fixed
“Let Go” defines an “obedient” character who tries to be perfectionist in the perfect world, missing out on the fun of “mess”. The song is a call to let go of the pressure and “live” the life. It personifies rebelliousness in its truest form.
Using the storytelling format, Rendell tells how one need not be troubled with one’s issues. Instead, people should seek ways for healing and feeding their soul with joy.
Both the songs adopt the same musical format but thematically, their subject matter and concerns are quite different.
Epiphany
If “Let Go” and “Fixed” touched upon the broken state of one’s being, Epiphany initiates a conversation on love. Using the mode of confession in her lyrics, Rendell creates a visual which showcases the state of momentary happiness that one feels when one encounters gestures of kindness and affection. She openly states how she loves it when her lover calls her “honey” and how it enamors her soul.
Musically, the tone begins to change from this single. While “Let Go” and “Fixed” had fierceness, the singles starting from “Epiphany” have a much calmer tone. The transition truly showcases the journey Rendell is taking up in her novel. The development both in terms of theme as well as music is clearly visible.
Troubles
If you are searching for a patient listener who can talk you through your troubles, then, Rendell is the one to approach. “Troubles” by the singer is an attempt to silence the stress that has been bogging her friend. The futility of worrying and thinking about other people’s opinion of one’s self is emphasized throughout the single. Instead of portraying “troubles” of one’s life as obstacles, Rendell depicts them as the stepping stones that form a pre-requisite condition for a successful life. There seems to be an urge in her single as she requests the listener to not be hard on herself.
Musically, it sounds a bit similar to “Remember” but has its own kind of tonal quality which makes it unique.
Remember
This romantic single is a verbal tribute to the beloved. “Remember” is one of our favorite singles from the album. In this single, there is an open appreciation of love and a clear reciprocation that the beloved deserved for his efforts. The singer remembers her lover through the words he spoke and the tokens he shared to express his affection.
In terms of musicality, the sultry voice of Rendell complements the sensual tune of the single. The lyrics are able to engage the listener as they help her “visualize” the state of one’s mind in love. While the song has a tinge of sadness (as it’s more of a tribute than a confession), it seems to celebrate the happy times, the singer spent with the lover than the times when he was being missed.
The Return
Released in 2 versions (one soul and other acoustic), Rendell offers a beautiful culmination to her album through “The Return”. Through her album, Rendell has traversed the path for herself and the listener and this path entails the movement from struggle and regrets to self-love and joy.
What’s beautiful about the single is that it does not glorify happiness at the expense of failure. Instead, it shows the former as a consequence of the latter. There is an acknowledgement for miscalculations and regrets but they have been taken up as lessons that need to be studied to live a peaceful life. In other words, the manner of dealing with the negative aspect of life is worth being paid attention to.
This single is a shout out to people who strive to live their life through love and kindness. Musically, we found acoustic version better as it helped showcase singer’s vocal prowess. The transition from the struggle of the protagonist to her conquest comes forth really well in the acoustic version.
Jules Rendell has a way with words. She can take up a theme and turn it over its heels to create a completely new picture. The tracks in “IMAGINE” are case in point. Her creative genius needs to be commended.
Stream the album on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/julesrendell/sets/imagine-the-album/s-uvbje
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