Much as we love to rock out and bang our heads here at Moshville Towers, sometimes you simply want to kick back and chill. A bit of easy listening light rock does the trick now and again, and coming up on November 22nd is a masterclass in just this, courtesy of living legend Joan Armatrading. How Did This Happen And What Does It Now Mean is twelve tracks written, produced and performed by one of Birmingham’s biggest exports (alongside a couple of bands you may also be familiar with). OK, so she moved there when she was 7 from St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, but let’s give Brum a bit of the credit.
This is definitely a chill album, but also an emotive one. It feels like every song tells a story, one which most of us could relate to, though as far as the ones about relationships go, Armatrading herself is quick to point out that they’re not autobiographical: “It’s observational, and yes, very direct. If there was something on there that was about me, I’d say, but there isn’t one.”
Lead single “I’m Not Moving”, however, was based on a street encounter with an enraged youth screaming that he wasn’t going to shift, and for people to call the police if they wanted him moved. As such, this is a mildly aggressive number – though likely not as aggressive as the youth!
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If you fancy something rocky, then the instrumental guitar-led “Back and Forth” lets Armatrading show that she’s not just a soulful voice. This blues/rock number is funky (check out that bass) and high flying, and comes across as improvised as it flies along. In case anyone doubted her guitar chops, she featured on Mark Knopfler’s incredible extended “Going Home” single earlier this year. “Back and Forth” splits the album in two and is surrounded by the more soulful numbers, and is partnered towards the end of the album with the more jazz-influenced “Now What”. I mean, why not? The latter song definitely has a little current of calypso running through it. Perhaps harking back to Armatrading’s very early years? Whatever, the blend works incredibly well and this short track is also very sweet.
You get the feeling from both the music and from Armatrading’s recent interviews that each track was written almost spontaneously based on an observation or a whim. This leads to a nice variety of songs, each having its own personality and message.
Not the kind of music we regularly cover, but as always we aren’t ones to gatekeep or tell people what they should and shouldn’t listen to. Instead, we’re just putting this out there. It’s great music, it’s got guitar in it, and Armatrading has a wonderful voice. Expand your horizons, you may be in for a pleasant surprise. This is “stop and smell the roses” music.
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Header image by Joel Anderson
How Did This Happen And What Does It Now Mean is set for release on November 22nd
Check out all the bands we review in 2024 on our Spotify and YouTube playlists!
Joan Armatrading: facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
