In this “musical novelization of the last five years of his life” solo artist, Jesse Revel’s album All This Trouble seamlessly links songs into a kind of flow chart filled with rights, wrongs, redemption, and hope without giving every single secret away. Revel says it best himself: “…I don’t want to ruin the whole story. The details are in the songs”.
And on those songs, Revel’s voice is double espresso strong and intensely charismatic, not one to fade into the background or simmer beneath the mix–a top notch instrument on its own. Punctuated with gorgeous slide guitar harmonies and often sparsely arranged, each note and lyric are given their rightful due in this triumph of an Americana Rock album that rings with the Blues.
The striking lyrics of All This Trouble can’t be ignored and might be hard to forget. Indeed, Revel seems confident enough in the being that he is today to share his hard-won knowledge, knowledge that may very well strike a chord with the listener. The track “Hard Times” exhibits a heartrending honesty about his journey, taking you to where the bottom falls out and the fight for survival is on. Devil meets protagonist in the disarmingly seductive rocker “Room 414”, drawing the listener headlong into its religious revival-like fervor of a conclusion. “Get Up Again” is an impassioned narrative between a father and son that packs a real punch. On an album filled with top-level recordings, “Get Up Again” is a real contender.
Revel is not shy to point a finger at both himself and the universe on All This Trouble as he unburdens himself of the last five years. He sheds his skin but holds onto an air of mystery, emerging an accomplished solo artist who lets the music speak for itself while keeping some things close.
All This Trouble will be released on May 4th, release show date TBD.
~By Rebecca Marx
Photo Credit Jim McFarlane
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