Jack Cheshire

Jack Cheshire - 'Allow It To Come On'
"Simply lie back and take the title literally..."
by Jo Williams 15/01/2008

Give a man a guitar and he'll either murder classic riffs or suddenly appear to be a misunderstood romantic. Whatever the case, a man with an acoustic guitar gets attention albeit 50p if you walk past him to work. Jack Cheshire at first appears to be the latest in a long line of hopeless romantics. But there's nothing hopeless about his debut release. It may take a few listens to get used to his mumbled stoner vocals, but 'Allow It To Come On' works a slow charm over you that's well worth the wait. The lo-fi production adds a sense of intimacy and invites the listener to really listen. Recorded in his attic bedroom there's no distractions other than the rain and passing traffic. The 27 year old Londoner might as well be sitting cross legged on your floor. You have a feeling if he was really there he'd have holes in his socks because his lyrics conjure up a sense of sketchiness and childlike vulnerability.

His voice, which is lies somewhere between Chris Martin and Joel Cadbury is soothing with a mellow range to it. One of the lyrics in 'Love' talk of a tightrope. Well Jack Cheshire is walking a musical tightrope of sorts as he balances between being chilled out and boring the opener 'Little Moon', which is a pleasing little lullaby does nothing to dispel this. He has a real rhythm to his vocals which make it very easy to listen to but his lack of vocal range is somewhat frustrating given some of the lovely harmonies he manages in 'Lady Luck' and 'Fireworks.'

But there's some treats in store. The type of treats that sneak up on a person unawares. 'Love' is a gorgeous slab of emotional vulnerability garnished with a deceptively happy melody. Probably one of the highlights of the album for because of the pure candour of it all being matched by a highly memorable chorus and a sense of longing. "All the hours rearranging - keeping yourself free for the night or the morning it arrives"

For all the introspection he manages to keep the lyrics interesting and far from self indulgent. He speaks of things that make a woman want to hug him while men can quietly nod in agreement and maybe shed a few tears in private. Cheshire may implore with the marriage proposal in 'Memory Gland' but 'Allow It To Come On ' will win more than a few hearts. But it isn't all hearts and flowers. 'My Own Parade' shows him in another light - torn between self doubt and self belief. The guitar has more of an edge to it. It's about as close to a strut that we get as he sings "I'm a bowling ball shiny, shiny in the alley- you're the special pin I'm destroying as I go."

He has an ability to take a common scenario and make it sound almost otherworldly thanks to his lovely guitar work. 'For You' takes the thinking of an ex lover to a sublime level - although part of you is conscious he may be using the memory to 'get off' it also manages to sound unabashedly fragile thanks to the minstrel like guitar. "Replay, replay that old parade - I can't forget it wears me out"

Modesty's all well and good, you get the feeling Jack is very modest about his talents, but this album is crying out for more attention. Its low key release means that it'll be listened to by only a fraction of the audience it deserves. The phrasing on the title track makes it sound like a folked out version of 'Supersonic' - it'll be interesting to see how well this does as the first release from the album. 'Allow It To Come On' is an apt name for these ten tracks. Simply lie back and take the title literally. You'll be glad you did. - Gigwise

Jack Cheshire 'Allow It To Come on'
Sunday Telegraph Seven Magazine 20th Jan 08
By: James Delingpole
****

Jack Cheshire's winsome, folky debut reminds me of a teenager forced out of bed before midday and blundering about all thick-headed and husky voiced. It gives his home-recorded songs a dreamy, slacker vulnerability that is hugely beguiling. The melodies are pretty and sad, and the arrangements 9all the wibbly, muffled effects with pedals and faders) owe much to late period Radiohead. A talent in urgent need of discovery. - Sunday Telegraph

Jack Cheshire - Allow It To Come On
On: God Is In The TV Zine.co.uk
Written by: Matt Churchill


It's only once in a while that as a lowly reviewer, you recieve a record that could be of real significance. This is one of those rare finds.

Jack Cheshire recorded the LP in his North London bedroom, and its lo-fi intensity is reminiscent of one the greatest records of the '70s singer songwriter genre, Nick Drake's 'Five Leaves Left'. 'Allow it To Come On' is a wonderfully arranged work that is every bit innovative as it is using borrowed bits and bobs from various influences.

'Little Moon', has a beautifully crisp melody which is almost child-like in its naivity, but like a child who wishes to be great, Cheshire needs encouragement to come out of his shell and develop - as the record goes on his confidence blossoms. 'Fireworks' is a guitarist's wet dream, with a cleverly plucked melodic lead line that sounds like a master at work.

'Lady Luck' stands out with its bluesey overtones and cracking vocal delivery, which contrasts with the ambient swellings of 'The Old Easy Way' to demonstrate his versatility.

With a sound that is almost like Turin Brakes before they went spiralling downwards, and a voice that is at points fragile, Cheshire has created a wonderfully thought provoking record which is a delightfully spent moment in time.

- God Is In The TV

Jack Cheshire - Allow It To Come On
On: 3 Bar Fire.com
Written by: Tim Garratt


Growers... they're the bane of a reviewer's life; they always come back to haunt you at some point. Luckily for me then that I gave Jack Cheshire's bedroom sessions a chance to breathe.

'Allow it to Come On' is one of those albums that you can leave going in the background, only to find that the minimal melodies have crept in and taken root. It kind of broods along at it's own pace and there are some genuinely good songs here. 'Fireworks' is perhaps the high water mark with it's off-kilter rhythm, subtle percussion and floating vocal slowly building into a pool of reverby static.

Gentle, subtle and soaked in late-night vibe, it's a good album to stick on your ipod and go for a walk in the park or something. And whilst the mood is pretty one-note throughout, the songs and arrangements are strong enough to carry it, check out the slide guitars and double bass of 'Lady Luck' for example.

At it's best it takes you back to Pink Moon era Nick Drake, and his almost half-sung delivery hints at a mixture of Adem and pre-Gwyneth Chris Martin. This reference is not meant as derogative, but on tracks such as 'Love' with it's building chorus and soaring backing vocals it could almost be an early Coldplay demo. It is this that makes you think with the right production and rhythm section then Jack Cheshire could be everywhere this year. - 3 Bar Fire

JACK CHESHIRE : Allow It To Come On
By Peter Coulston
On: Seatwave: backstagepass

I first saw and heard Jack Cheshire at the Borderline back in November where he opened for a number of country rock acts. I felt that his material was a little too intense for an opener at a typically rock venue, but enjoyed the set anyway.

The album takes a few listens in places but certainly grows on you. The opening number, "Little Moon" has a jazz/latin edge to it and he gets darker on the gritty "Fireworks" and the bluesy "Lady Luck", with it's nice slide guitar. The rest of the album is eerie and rather folky in the Dylan/Cohen vogue, though the lyrics certainly belong to Jack. The title song is the most commercial, with it's catchy hook, but I also enjoyed "Memory Gland", "For You" and the closing track, "The Old Easy Way", all of which show off his skill at combining strong melodies with wistful lyrics. If you like your contemporary, acoustic folk to have depth, melody and something that makes you want to go back for more, you will love this album. This is thinking person's pop, well worth spending some time on.
- Seatwave