𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 - this week: It’s Over (feat Jessica Mia) - Jane Marie

Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly - an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧 (𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖 𝙈𝙞𝙖) - 𝙅𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚

Charles waxes lyrical…

Tact is a funny one, isn’t it. It’s a tricky bugger. Some people have it, and some people don’t. It involves quick decision making. It involves empathy. A “put yourself in their shoes” moment. Say for example, if someone has gone through a traumatic experience (and continues to do so), what do you say? What words do you use? Do you say the usual politician/celebrity line: “My deepest condolences to the family and friends of…”? Do you ignore them all together, with the excuse of “I just wanted to give you space”, but in fact you were simply stuck for what to say? Do you speak to them as though nothing has happened, in the hope that this will cheer them up and take their mind off things? Do you stay deadly serious? Do you joke? I personally probably do a mixture of all of these things. But the one thing I definitely DON’T do, is imagine that everyone is the same, and that every saddening experience is carbon copy of the last one you heard about. Each instance needs to be addressed uniquely and personally. If you don’t really know the person well at all, it’s probably best to say nothing. Cold, empty sympathy from a relative stranger can do little for the person involved. But this is the thing. These days with half our world conducted over the internet, who is to say the true meaning of “friend” or “stranger”…? With the written word, one has to try harder in order to portray what one really means or feels. In real life, just one look of “I got you” (eurghh) and a hug can suffice. But in messages, things can look so cold and automatic. I think this must be why I write the way I write. Some might try to emulate who they are by the way they string words together in text. But because I write so much these days, I think I am becoming more like I write. Rather than the words portraying the personality, the personality is becoming the words! And I don’t mind a bit. I’ve become a better person for it. I think more. I am kinder. I am calmer. I give things a chance to sink in before blurting out an ill-judged response.

So when I saw that Jane Marie had just released a new single, I listened. I thought. I pondered. I realised it was probably my favourite release of the week and so it surely must be chosen. BUT!! There was a complication. You see, dear Jane (a lovely lady) has had some very sad and shocking news within the last month or so. It involved a passing. I will go no further on the matter, so as to respect her privacy. But the thing is, I couldn’t just treat this like a normal silly article. Neither could I bore people into the ground about HAL (my word for A.I.). So I looked to the title. Ah dear. Can’t go there either. I mean, I already felt strange and awkward for her sad news coinciding with my track, Come The End…! I certainly won’t be mentioning that my album is out on Friday, because that really would be in the poorest taste. So what on Earth do I write about? I can’t just gloss over a great release because the artist is going through a tough time. And that was when I realised. She’s going through a tough time. This would SURELY bring her at least a brief smile. I mean, just the fact that I have chosen her song, would surely be a positive. Ah, but what if she thinks it’s pity, and not actually because the song is really good. Well, she knows me well enough to realise that although I am tactful, I really am honest. If the song was simply meh, I wouldn’t choose it. I just wouldn’t. I couldn’t. My standards have to stay high. That’s what this Corner’s all about! It’s not about inclusivity or “everyone’s a winner”. Because if everyone’s a winner, then no one’s a winner. Okay, so it’s fine to pick this song. But then again, what about all the social media and comments below… She’ll be inundated with pings. Well, look “babe”: I have to be cruel to be kind. You can’t moan about being popular and being loved. Otherwise you turn into Adele minus the makeup. Jane is a grown-up. “Tee-hee”, I’m sure she uttered on reading this. But she is. She might be a little more fragile in this time of sorrow, but she is able to cope with a few tweets. She’s old enough to cope. Hardship is something we all go through, but the older ones tend to opt for silence, followed by an invisible suit of armour. The younger ones tend to go all public and melt like a poorly made candle. Jane has strength and courage. She also has children to look after. I have no doubt that her stoicism will be high on her priorities, with the odd moment where she rushes out of the room because she “has something in her eye”. This is normal. We must be strong, but we must remain human. Grieving is a vital time. It is good for our souls. And in a way, it’s a form of paying one’s respects. Not to sound cold, call it unfinished business.

Speaking of unfinished business, Jane Marie’s latest release, It’s Over, was all complete and sent off before the tragedy occurred. But it was yet to be released. As far as she was concerned, it would be released in early December, and she could just get on with the usual - let’s be honest - heartless promo, and then get stuck into the whole festive shindig, as is usual for this time of year. Jane assumed this unfinished business would be finished soon enough, with little major interruption to the plan. Alas, this is not how life works. Quite the spanner, indeed. How can she POSSIBLY get into the mindspace of music promotion NOW?? Well, there’s another reason I thought I’d go ahead and do all this. So she can concentrate on herself and her family. Fair’s fair. While we share the same country, I can do little to alleviate the burden in terms of “real life”. I live in London. Jane lives in Guildford. Not too far away, but certainly further than a short bus ride. So I have to do things remotely. Hence here I am. Being remote. It might be just cold words of black on white, but if you close your eyes and imagine an open fire in a cosy living room, it really starts to warm up. The irony being, of course, that if you close your eyes, you won’t be able to continue reading. A blessing for some, perhaps. Tree or no tree, things are without a doubt beginning to twinkle. It is December, after all…

To say this is a Christmas song, would probably be a bit of a stretch, much like her December song from last year. Hence why I am reviewing it now, and not closer towards tinsel time. It does however have a mood most fitting for the end of the year (in the same way as my latest release). A cosy vibe, if you will. A completion of sorts. And as always, its singer is none other than Jessica Mia. Jane has always worked with Jessica since her very first release. There is not one exception. Which is nice. It’s not so much tradition, as simply “how it is done”. Aside from this perfect duo (long may it last), their releases have always involved Jane and a producer programming most of the parts. But this brand new release is different. It’s Over involves only real instruments played by real people, with their real hands and their very real skills. A trumpeter, for example, being a university chum of Jessica. A talented chap who had until then, never done a recording session before. That’s right, until this song, his tooting had never been heard on a recording. Absurd. I mean, just listen to the quality here! He was apparently less than calm and collected as he walked into position, horn in hand. Nerves to the point of terrification! Something he shares with Jane when it comes to playing in public. But the point is, it doesn’t matter. He got it done, and when I asked Jane as to the whomabouts of the trumpeter, I assumed it was a pro. It just goes to show, young skill is still very much alive and kicking. You wouldn’t believe how much this pleases me. We can’t all go into the land of computers and laze. And the drums? Oh, the drums! Jane employed a proper drummer on this one; something I wished for her to do for quite a while, if I’m honest. Drums can’t always be a quiet thing in the background to use as glue. Sometimes they need presence. So, with trumpet and drums, you might be thinking the song is therefore some sort of funky rocky thing. It is not. The drums are played with brushes. A sound I SO RARELY hear in music these days. Is it therefore a soft backing of taps and sweeps? Not when you close-mic the drums, it’s not. Using brushes has nothing really to do with dynamics in recording. It is to do with tone. It’s a very different sound to wooden sticks. And somehow, it’s more personal. It’s like hearing the drummer think. Hearing the imagination and quirks with which it comes.

But enough about all that. Let’s talk song. This is jazz. Or certainly jazzy (which I usually prefer to actual jazz). I’m not sure if you know the song Crazy by Patsy Cline, but to an extent it reminds me of that. But it also reminds me of Queen when they go “jazz”; songs like My Melancholy Blues, Jealousy, or even the intro to Don’t Stop Me Now. Ya know, when Freddie briefly forgets he’s Freddie Mercury and he’s inadvertently stepped into 1947. This is what I hear and what I think. It’s a funny world, my mind. But it all came about because of Jane’s way of vamping on the piano. It’s nothing like Freddie’s camping, but it sets a scene. But this image really came to life when I heard Jessica’s voice. Jess (if I may call you that, Jess) is growing up fast. But she’s clinging on to that youthful youth, thankfully. What I mean by that is, she’s now comfortable enough to experiment. This is really her first venture into jazz and that way of singing. But boy does she do it well! She’s soft when delicacy is needed, and powerful when strong emotion is needed. Her control of vibrato is first rate, intentional and well-judged. The voice is what I would call vibrant maturity. Or, youthful experience. All of this goes supremely with the most important thing of all: the song. And while the piano is delightful and effortless, the song itself is where Jane shines. For that’s her upfront talent. Chords, melody, words. That’s a song. That’s all! And yet, how difficult it is to get right. Thankfully, Jane has the experience necessary for getting it right. Despite the soft nature of this song, it never gets stuck in dullness, nor mediocrity. The song is timeless, and the production as a whole is flawless. And as to the mix itself, I would say this is Jane’s very best so far. I mean… What’s not to like?! Make yourself a cup of tea, and turn yourself into a cosy bundle on the sofa. Then press play. Pure gorgeousness.

While it might seem like it’s over, it ain’t over till it’s over. Jane is strong enough to know that it ain’t over.

I’m giving away poorly made candles for those who feel they need a role model.

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