Jordan Pratt – The Deepest of Blues (2022)
When you are faced with adversity, it can often be a challenge to move forward and push through the obstacles in your path. This is something Jordan Pratt considers with his second EP, The Deepest of Blues, which is packed with hope, melancholy and commitment. While the EP consists of six tracks chosen from the dozens he has written in the last year, they come together for a wonderful journey of resilience and hope.
Although Pratt is a classically trained vocalist, it is not the vocals of the tracks that are the focus of this EP. It is the lyrics that really shine with his vocal performance and the melody bolstering what they have to say. If you have ever felt like you are stuck in a rut and can’t move forward, this is the EP that will give you the folky boost you need to push forward.
The EP opens with ‘Please’ that eases you into the soundscape with a really gentle tone. The acoustic guitar is like a gentle breeze that sweeps over your skin. The tenderness of the melody bolsters the delicate touch of Pratt’s vocals. While you float along the lines of the melody and sink into his voice, the lyric-driven song fills you with melancholy and heartbreak. The lyrics are packed with loss and the emptiness that settles around you with heartbreak. While there is a heavy touch of heartbreak, the story of the track borders the moment a relationship breaks down and the point where you can still make everything work. There is a heartfelt plea in the chorus that really tugs at your heart.
‘Slow Burn Regret’ has a sunnier feel to the music that makes you think of sunny days without a cloud in the sky. The movement of the beats gets your foot tapping and your body swaying to the rhythm. While the music has a lighter feeling, the lyrics tell a very different story. They touch on feelings of regret and the way this creeps through your senses. The humming that follows the chorus adds a depth to the performance. Later in the track, the melody has a burst of pace through the drums, which enhances the contrast of the lively music and the sadness of the lyrics.
The melancholic vibes return with ‘Meant to Be Apart’ that fills you with the light touches of sadness through the opening. The deep bass that vibrates from the low levels is a wonderful contrast to the higher tones. Pratt’s vocals have a higher delivery for this track, which brings a different feeling to the whole soundscape. While there is melancholy woven into the lyrics, his performance brings a strange sense of acceptance. The lyrics have a rather frank vibe as they consider that a relationship was doomed to fail from the start. Through the verses, he brings the problems they face to light, only to accept the breakdown of the relationship with the chorus. It is a rather bittersweet feeling of hurt, pain and acceptance.
‘Going Down’ seems to yawn into the darkness of the soundscape through the opening. While the lower levels of the melody reach out into the ether, the acoustic guitar in the top layer grabs your attention. The stripped-back melodics allow the vocals and lyrics to really shine. There is a companionable feeling to Pratt’s performance as the lyrics detail a spiral into dark emotions. Through the lyrics, you are drawn into the realisation that a relationship has fallen apart around you, without you even noticing. This is bolstered by the understanding that you are being hit with the emotions of the breakup, which causes the downward spiral.
A lighter tone fills the opening of ‘What We’ll Do’ as the beats form a raindrop touch. The higher vocal performance is enhanced by the light touch of the instrumentation. While there is a touch of melancholy to the track, it has been tempered with a feeling of potential for the future. There is a lot of gentle imagery in the lyrics that brings a strange sense of peace to your soul which is injected through the strings in the melody. Through the track, Pratt fills you with the sense that you are not alone as you try to forge ahead and do what you want in the world.
The EP comes to a close with the title track ‘The Deepest of Blues’ which has a wonderful folky guitar movement to the opening. There is a really light vibe to the guitar that lifts something heavy off your chest. You can feel the affection woven into the music and vocal performance deep in your soul. The lyrics are a delicate emotional journey that takes you into the deepest of blues, while filling you with a glowing light. While there is this light of comfort and happiness, there is a strange feeling on the edges of your senses that makes you think this could fall away at any time. These emotions have been wonderfully balanced to allow the happiness to overtake the potential sorrow.
Jordan Pratt uses delicate melodics and emotive vocals to bring the lyrically driven track of The Deepest of Blues to life. Each track has a unique feeling as it weaves emotions through your senses. While the melodies and vocals are stunning, the lyrics really draw you into the stories of each track.
Find out more about Jordan Pratt on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
