By Megan Hughes
What is a super-group? The Jaded Hearts Club is, to answer the question simply.
The Jaded Hearts Club is a supergroup of star power and musical talent which can only be rivalled by the likes of Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings and the Traveling Wilburys.
If, like myself, the name of the super-group struck a chord in your mind which had chiming similarities to the immensely successful Beatles album Sgt Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band then you are onto a winner and will most likely enjoy the origins story of this rag tag group of six.
To set the scene: it is 2017; the world is pandemic free, and Jamie Davis has a need for a Beatles cover band. Davis decides to see if Graham Coxon’s (Blur) label could assist him, however, the attempt was futile, and Davis couldn’t find what he was looking for. It is at that point the concept of The Jaded Hearts Club was founded as Davis decided he would put together the group he was looking for. Thus, he recruited Coxon, Miles Kane (The Shadow Puppets), Matt Bellamy (Muse), Sean Payne (The Zutons) and Nic Cester (Jet) – the phenomenal wealth of talent and experience these guys have as individual musicians, never mind as a group, is magnificent.
A powerhouse such as this group means it comes as no surprise when you listen to their new album The Jaded Hearts Club – Live At The 100 and have nothing but complete and unadulterated love for it. Although, an album completely of covers they have managed to make every song enjoyable. You can hear that they are enjoying performing the songs which makes it infectious.
All too often people performing covers go one of two ways: turning into an impersonator (and usually a bad one at that) or they try to outshine the original artists and musicians involved by totally changing the song and composition or trying to show their skill with their instrument and overdo it. Not once does that happen in this album. Probably because none of these guys feel like they have anything to prove; all accomplished in their own rights prior to this band. You can feel that everyone is having a good time and genuinely wants to play good music – which they most certainly do.
The opening track on the album is Gloria a song by Belfast born rock band Them, this is the group which launched Van Morrison’s musical career. As the song begins I see visions of Nick Berry zooming down a country road in Heartbeat. This song sets the tone and time for this album. Particular praise is necessary for the scream inducing cover of My Generation by The Who. When this came on I worried that the stammering that Roger Daltrey uses in the song would be butchered or poorly mimicked. Neither scenario happened: the stammer is there but different and certainly a good different. A clear point where the band shows their own take and minimal changes whilst still staying true to the song and its original musicians.
Kane and Cester wow throughout the entire album with their vocals. Showing great range and ability of control changing from deep bluesy tones and notes to shouting and screaming down the microphone – sending the crowd insane.
The super-group move into superstardom territory when they cover The Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black. Just listening to this track is tiring – but amazing none the less. Everything about it is fast. The bass, the guitar, the drums – even the lyrics come out staccato. Everything is short, abrupt and dense. It is a cracking cover which needs to be enjoyed live.
Overall, this super-group is everything you expect. They fulfil those expectations easily and the best part about it is that they don’t even seem like they are trying all that hard. Nobody is ‘stealing the thunder’; nobody is carrying the show or picking up slack from another member. They turn up 110% for every single song. The objective of this band was to play traditional rock and roll – the type of rock roll that the musicians can jump between rock and blues because the foundations are very similar. The objective has been achieved by a country mile.
This album deserves to be listened to as a whole activity by itself. It is made to be enjoyed and I am very certain that you shall enjoy it. The Jaded Hearts Club – Live at The 100 Club is out for release now so get listening!
To keep up with The Jaded Hearts Club you can follow them at the below:
Instagram: @TheJadedHeartsClub
Twitter: @TheJadedHearts
The Music Files 