Album Reviews

Album Review: Jon Allen – Dead Man’s Suit (Monologue Records)

By | Published on Monday 12 January 2009

Jon Allen

Apparently Jon Allen’s most successful achievement to date is having first single ‘Going Home’ featured on an advert for gargantuan car manufacturers Land Rover. Not having a TV, I’ve yet to affirm this, but there must have been some reason why 20,000 people downloaded such a linear, underwhelming tune. And those two words seem to cover most of the standard singer-songwriter fare on offer here. With such contrived appellation, the title track bodes ill, and delivers a slightly smoke-tinged voice offering up such nuances on how the suit he thought was black is now blue. It may sound serious, but the content is just all so silly. And even sillier is any attempt to emulate Ryan Adams, as ‘In Your Light’ so strives to. But Allen is far more comfortable in a modern schmaltz take on the mature rock of Rod Stewart, with ‘New Year’s Eve’ at least competent and believable, if not entirely full of majestic melody that you’d hope from any song with such folk roots. His music may be perfect to represent a soothing drive, but I would be rather scared to put it on in the car. It just may make you drift off into that airbag. TM

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