Love, Sex And Politics In 11 Unique Works

Jack Conman hits the scene with his 11-track album, exploring love, sex, and politics in 11 unique and artful works. It is obvious this is a holistic album, with each song presenting a different side of Jack’s technical skill as an instrumentalist and producer. The lyrics also carry insightful and poetic commentary on what has clearly been a bittersweet romantic life journey for the singer. Throughout most of the album, the lyrical prowess seems to outweigh the musical elements, forging a project that demands the attention of the listener in every song from start to finish. That’s not to say there aren’t some stand out songs where the composition and recording leads to a work of art with high replay value; lyrics or not.

The first single, and opening track “Come back in the room” introduces us to a body of work that has a mind of its own. This R.E.M-esque ballad delves into the fractured nature of relationships, and the push and pull lovers often go through when each half brings inevitable trauma from their past. Though the album shifts from what are clearly first-person accounts to what is often more stylized or inspired storytelling, this song in particular is painfully personal to Conman, shown more in his vocal performance when phrases like “I can fix myself” are infused with a tinge of pain that is impossible to fake. Though probably the most energetic song on the album thanks to the drums and guitar parts, it’s definitely a perfect introduction to an album that doesn’t shy away from exploring the much more dangerous sides of youthful love.

“Before you love me” is by far and away the most hauntingly beautiful song of this entire project. Jack Conman is enough of a skilled songwriter to understand when less is more and this is one of those times. The stripped-back instrumentation and slow tempo make room for the protagonist of the song, which is once again the vocal and lyrics. This is a song that serves as both a warning to the prospective partner and a confession to Conman himself of the imperfections that haunt him from relationship to relationship. The repetitive chanting of “before you love me” communicates the fear and hope that comes with revealing your flaws to your loved one, doing so more successfully than a more complicated chorus arrangement would.

Conman’s charisma and charm shine through the most in both the “The Beauty of Women” and “The Second I Choke”. Though both these songs maintain similar philosophies when it comes to love, romance, and women as the rest of the album, the artist seems to embrace the levity of the songs, using more suave and relaxed instrumentation and melodies to make his point. These two tracks serve as a nice change of pace for the listener.

“Poison” is the song that best exemplifies how the lyrics are the strongest aspect of this project; and that’s not a slight on the rest of the album, but a testament to Conman’s writing ability. This obviously accomplished lyricist can leverage music as a universal language to convey entire arguments or ideas in one simple phrase. Music is one of the few art forms where one can bypass the premise-conclusion dynamic that comes with presenting an opinion and allows for a simple emotional stimulus to form the whole argument in the listener's head. Conman establishes himself as an elite songwriter by proficiently doing this over and over again throughout the release and doesn’t spend time describing some toxic relationship, where the two people are in love with the idea of their partners and not their reality. The back and forth of a thrilling but self-destructive relationship doesn’t need to be explored when the whole dynamic of the pair is understanding the moment Conman sings “Do you really want me or just the things we do instead?” - and it is songwriting like this that makes the album more than an indie title exploring a relatable part of life, but rather a legitimate ode to skilful songwriting.

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