Jayler – ‘Voices Unheard’

(Silver Lining Music)

There’s something wonderfully reassuring about an album that refuses to apologise for wearing its influences proudly. In a musical world obsessed with modern production tricks, compressed guitars and endlessly polished performances, Jayler’s Voices Unheard feels like somebody has opened the door to a time machine, stepped back into the Seventies and brought a suitcase full of classic rock records home with them.

This is old-school rock in the truest sense of the phrase. It has the warmth, swagger and organic feel of an era when rock music was allowed to breathe, when guitar riffs were built to be played loud, drums sounded like drums and musicians weren’t afraid to leave a little roughness around the edges. If you have a soft spot for the golden age of Classic Rock, Voices Unheard is going to feel instantly familiar, yet there’s enough personality here to prevent it from becoming nothing more than a nostalgia exercise.

Jayler clearly understand the importance of atmosphere. From the opening moments, Voices Unheard establishes a wonderfully retro character, with a production style that feels deliberately rooted in the Seventies without sounding like some sterile attempt to recreate the past. There’s warmth in the guitars, plenty of space around the instrumentation and a pleasingly earthy quality that gives the whole album a genuine live-band feel.

And those guitars are absolutely central to the experience.

There’s no shortage of chunky riffs, bluesy flourishes, classic-rock chord progressions and melodic guitar lines, all delivered with the sort of confidence that suggests Tyler Arrowsmith and James Bartholomew have spent plenty of time studying the greats. You can hear the spirit of the Seventies throughout, but rather than slavishly copying one particular band, they draw from the wider Classic Rock tradition. There are moments of blues-rock swagger, harder-edged riffing and more melodic passages, creating an album that moves comfortably between different shades of retro rock.

The rhythm section deserves plenty of credit too. Ricky Hodgkiss’s bass has that wonderfully thick, rounded tone that was such an important part of the Seventies sound, while Ed Evan’s drums provide a natural, powerful foundation. Everything feels connected. There’s a sense of musicians actually playing together rather than simply recording isolated parts and assembling them afterwards. That chemistry is one of the album’s biggest strengths.

Vocally, James Bartholomew fit’s the material perfectly. There’s a rawness and character to his delivery that suits this kind of music far better than some pristine, technically perfect performance ever could. The vocals have personality, and that matters enormously when you’re dealing with Classic Rock. This is music that needs attitude and conviction, and Voices Unheard has both in abundance.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the album is its refusal to rush. Modern rock can sometimes feel as though it’s desperately trying to grab your attention every few seconds, but Jayler are happy to let riffs develop, grooves settle and melodies breathe. There’s a laid-back confidence here, even when the band turns up the intensity. It gives Voices Unheard an authentic Seventies character and makes it particularly enjoyable as an album rather than simply a collection of individual moments.

There’s also a slightly psychedelic edge lurking around the corners of the record, adding another layer to the retro atmosphere. It never overwhelms the Classic Rock foundation, but it gives the music a little more colour and prevents everything from becoming predictable. That combination of blues, hard rock, melodic rock and occasional psychedelic touches creates a suitably expansive sound.

What Jayler have achieved here is perhaps best described as a celebration rather than a revival. They aren’t attempting to convince us that the Seventies never ended. Instead, they’ve taken the ingredients that made that era so special and given them another airing. The riffs are big, the grooves are warm, the performances are spirited and the whole thing has that wonderfully analogue feel that so many modern productions struggle to recreate.

Voices Unheard is also the kind of album that rewards repeated listening. The first spin is all about soaking up the atmosphere, but subsequent listens reveal more detail in the arrangements and performances. It’s an album with enough musical depth to keep revealing little touches without ever becoming unnecessarily complicated.

There’s nothing particularly fashionable about Voices Unheard, and thank goodness for that. This is rock music stripped back to its essentials: guitars, bass, drums, vocals, melody, groove and attitude. No gimmicks, no unnecessary experimentation and no attempt to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes you just need a great riff, a powerful rhythm section and a band that sounds like it genuinely loves playing rock music.

‘Down Below’, a suitably atmospheric way to get the main body of the album underway, with a wonderfully retro guitar sound and a groove that immediately establishes Jayler’s Seventies credentials. There’s a bluesy swagger running through the arrangement, while the vocals add plenty of character. It feels earthy, organic and beautifully old-school.

‘Riverboat Queen’, there’s a real sense of movement here, with a rolling rhythm and some excellent guitar work giving the song its distinctive personality. Jayler capture that loose, slightly unpredictable quality that made so much classic Seventies rock so enjoyable. It’s melodic without becoming overly polished and has plenty of swagger.

‘Need Your Love’, a more soulful side of Jayler comes to the fore here. The groove is infectious, while the guitars provide just the right amount of grit. The vocal performance has plenty of feeling, and the whole thing possesses an easy-going quality that makes it particularly enjoyable. Classic Rock with plenty of heart.

‘The Getaway’, this one turns up the energy with a punchier approach and a driving rhythm section. The guitars are given plenty of room to make their presence felt, and there’s a real sense of freedom running through the performance. It has that unmistakable road-rock quality that makes you want to turn the volume up and hit the highway.

A slightly more reflective piece, ‘Bittersweet’ demonstrates that Jayler can do atmosphere just as effectively as they can deliver riffs. The contrast between the melodic elements and the rougher guitar tones works extremely well. There’s an emotional edge here without the song ever becoming overly sentimental.

‘Hate To See It End’, this is classic rock songwriting at its most direct. The melody is strong; the guitars have plenty of warmth and the rhythm section keeps everything moving along nicely. There’s a bittersweet quality to the performance, but Jayler never allow it to become overly sombre. Another beautifully authentic Seventies-style rocker.

‘Over The Mountain’, a bigger, more expansive number with plenty of classic guitar muscle. The arrangement gives the song a sense of scale, while the vocals sit perfectly within the retro production. There’s a real feeling of adventure here, and the musicianship is excellent throughout.

‘Alectrona’, perhaps one of the more unusual moments on the album, with a slightly more atmospheric character and some interesting textures. The Seventies influence remains firmly intact, but there’s enough individuality to make this stand out. It’s a track that benefits from repeated listens.

‘Lovemaker’, pure rock ’n’ roll swagger. The guitars are crunchy, the groove is infectious and the whole performance has a wonderfully carefree attitude. Jayler sound like they’re having an absolute blast here, and that enthusiasm is impossible not to enjoy. Retro rock with plenty of attitude.

‘The Rinsk’, a fitting conclusion that brings together much of what makes Voices Unheard work so well. The guitars, vocals and rhythm section all sound completely at home together, creating a warm and satisfying finale. It leaves you with the feeling that Jayler have successfully captured the spirit of Seventies Classic Rock without simply copying it.

For fans of old-school Classic Rock, Seventies rock and the whole retro-rock movement, Jayler have delivered something that feels both authentic and refreshingly enthusiastic. Voices Unheard may look backwards musically, but there’s nothing tired about it.

Dust off the denim, turn the amplifier up, crack open the vinyl collection and let Jayler take you back to a time when Classic Rock ruled the world.

7/10

Essential Track – ‘Need Your Love’

Review by Woody