Jessie Ware - 110% (and everything else she's done)

fully in love with all the singles now. i think "running" might have shaken out as my favourite so far

think i might be talking to her next week

i'm really taken with how - similar to wynter gordon's newest stuff - ware's vocal strategy is a perfect midpoint between r&b and female singer-songwriter

hmm...I heard "Stimela" and wasn't impressed.

Holy fuck her album is going to be amazing. "Sweet Talk," the latest track to be released, is ANOTHER great track. When the guitars drop in at 2:30... one of the best musical moments of the year. Man this girl's on a roll.

Can we change this thread to "general jessie ware thread" btw i think it's about time

As requested, kinda.

that works. thanks ned!

+1 for Running. Shades of Sade, tasteful trip-hop, etc.

Still I actually liked tasteful trip-hop. Makes me want to go listen to a Moloko record.

That was a good interview BTW, Lex. I wouldn't mind seeing dance music in the UK go classy again like back in the 2-step heyday.

I wouldn't mind seeing dance music in the UK go classy again like back in the 2-step heyday.

I'm not sure this sentence makes sense really? Unless by "2-step" you basically mean MJ Cole and Wookie?

Yeah, and some Dem 2 tracks and Tuff Jam.

And Craig David.

"Wildest Dreams" has insinuated itself into my life so shrewdly.

"Wildest Moments" of course

I love all the singles so far, and I'm hardly into vocal pop, so she must be doing something right (or disastrously wrong).

110% is lovely!

reminds me of Mr Fingers oddly enough

is it in the charts?

the album is really great btw

the beats and production are great but for the most part you don't really think of it as a "uk dance" album - even bashmore's tracks, despite his distinct and characterful style, aren't recognisably him. it's more great production in the fleetwood mac sense, except from the obvious perspective of someone who grew up on ukg and hip-hop coming through in the rhythms and occasional sample. she's great at BIG CHORUSES. she's kinda annie lennoxy in a good way.

I like that description.

It makes me anticipate that this is to UK beats as Bedtime Stories largely is to US beats...? Is that off base?

maybe if i think about it that might make sense but the key difference is that bedtime stories was a very intimate and obviously carnal album, whereas devotion is all sweeping grandeur and emotions writ large and jessie being imperious, and in fact my only (not v meaningful) quibble is that she can't really do lustful very well (like, "running" is superb and all but when i listened to the lyrics i couldn't help but feel it needed a touch more of that about it)

oh i'm relistening now, i forgot how much "sweet talk" reminds me of dâm-funk

ha that's interesting

i'm on my toes waiting for this to leak.

i think my favourite non-single is "night light"

or maybe "taking in water"

of all available stocks and shares on the market 'run to love' sounding v much like loose ends or whatever (plus the bobby caldwell cover i guess) had me most down for a kinda uk boogie britsoul update thing

60% less enthused by other framings

I heard "Wildest Moments" last month when it made the blog rounds, but I'm just now catching up with all the rest. I'm not completely off base by hearing a little Sade in some of this, am I?

ctrl+f tells me no.

wildest moomins is probably her least sade number however just in case you were feeling perceptive there

srsly why does she sing it like that

is it a reflex morrissey tribute thing like what tarrus riley also sometimes does

reminds me of Mr Fingers oddly enough

yeah everytime i hear that riff it reminds me of mr fingers.

rtc do you mean the slight over-emphasis in her singing? the way she sort of says "doncing" in 110 per cent annoys me a bit.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/aug/16/jessie-ware-devotion-album-stream

"Sweet Talk" is good! Love the electric piano.

AOTY

ok this rap verse on "no to love" is pretty bad ugh the song is awesome otherwise

wow this is getting the sort of unanimous buzz on my twitter timeline usually reserved for albums I hate. FOR ONCE I DON'T FEEL LIKE A GRINCH.

(I also can't work out why) (it's very good, obv, but that's not usually the reason for these things)

whoa "night light" is pretty heavy

ha i kind of liked that rap btw

goole, this is just based one listen. he seemed to trip over his flow in spots, little awkward

listen #2 begins now

grrrr fuck this 12" extended dub mix of 'no to love' where is the proper song???

i repeat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqwEPbS71ME

grrrr fuck this 12" extended dub mix of 'no to love' where is the proper song???

― r|t|c, Thursday, August 16, 2012 11:51 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Hmm? Are you saying they included the 12" extended dub mix on the actual album?

also yeah still don't like the rap verse

i was inferring that that's what it sounds like it is in comparison to the live renditions

rtc do you mean the slight over-emphasis in her singing? the way she sort of says "doncing" in 110 per cent annoys me a bit.

This is the usual hazard for posh stage school types trying their hardest not to sound American.

I like this album a lot more than I expected to after the mimsiness of 110%, although serious rolleyes at Tim Jonze's review in the Guardian being all "LOOK, not bland winebar toss, she likes dubstep and Julio Bashmore!" when the best moments are are where the, ahem "UK bass" influence gets out of the way and lets the song breathe a bit.

I've only just heard Finest Moments for the first time. Did they hammer this during victorious video montages during the Olympics because it feels like it's been consciously written for them.

jonze also uses Springsteen as a negative reference point for no discernible reason other than he just wanted to take a shot at Springsteen, bizarre

Whether Ware's early experience as a football reporter – even covering matches for the Jewish Chronicle – helped her hone a simple, direct style is impossible to say. What's undeniable, though, is the fact that Ware has the sweetest vocal style yet to emerge from anyone who previously attended the crucial Boreham Wood v Arsenal XI friendly.

He's trying really hard to be Alexis Petridis bless him.

Best New Music on PFM.

and yet i can't find a copy that isn't the stream yet. sigh

it's out there

but like, not for purchase?

wyp
devotion
tfg/tough love
glass house

idk which i prefer of this & tough love, both are solid but a little lacking compared to what came prior, though still some great moments

Team Moka / ufo on first listen

Tough Love has "You and I, Forever," "Sweetest Song," "Champagne Kisses," "Midnight Caller" -- love'em.

The bonus version has some extra gems

Tough love my fav

I think it's quite solidly her third best album. Ahead of tough love, which I do like a lot, and way ahead of glasshouse, which has a couple highlights but otherwise really does sound like her trying to be someone she's not.

― omar little

This is exactly where I'm at. Glasshouse is the album where she lost her identity. I listened to it recently and only Your Domino (which doesn't fit on the album at all), Midnight and Last Of The True Believers stood out. The two bonus tracks should have been on there over things like Hearts, Thinking Of You and Sam which are the weakest songs she's done.

Damn, loving this whole album.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Curjn2WoP93/

Jessie Ware and Roisin Murphy together. ILM might break.

we're already broken

:’(

seriously though, cautiously excited

burned enough by anticipation for dream collaborations before to know that I shouldn't get my hopes up too high

was hoping it would be a new track but this is pretty cool too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1pOvK9URyU