Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Looking for something in the world that will take your mind off the diamonds you have neglected upon the way will have you Always Seeking where the dust has grown, and the riverbed has gone dry.
The vantage point of discovery is seemingly lost as time goes by, and yet if you understand that the waters of life are more valuable than that of mere trinkets and gems, then you know that the trail laid will always see you home; so that which you were seeking becomes a prized possession…the gift most loved, that of the sound of a human heart telling its story when you are ready to hear it being told.
For Jake Aaron’s attention-grabbing album Always Seeking, the imagination is more than given free range to pull the listener in, it stands at the gates directing the soul of each person who comes past to witness an album of character, of atmosphere, an album which benefits from being its own personality and charming individuality.
The British guitarist is not just the major part of the music loosely led sojourn into the ideas of the western noir than embodies the album, he is the director, the eye from high above but with the feet firmly planted on the sands of time, with stunning accompaniment from Steve Lodder, David Mantovani, Marc Parnell, Steve Waterman, guest appearances by John Etheridge and Kate Kurdyak, what comes across is a phenomenon sought and placed on a mantle with all the other mementos that cannot be bought by those with dirty hands, clean air, clean and drinkable water, enough food, good music, all in abundance.
With tracks such as Four Coaches, Parnell’s Last Stand, Killing Time, The Crossing/The Revenant, Leave The Light On, and Lupe’s Theme, the music’s star turn is in its fluidity to remind the listener of the majesty of the concept album, without being rigid or demanding that it can only be thought of in such fashion. Loosely connected, but with tremendous character, forethought, and delicious drama throughout.
Jake Aaron scans the horizon of his mind, sees what others perceive as a dusty, dirty trail, and knows that it contains a plush oasis of natural human instinct and detailed scenes of sound. This is the point of making sure that you are always seeking, for where others give in and turn in their saddle, the brave and the thinkers keep believing they will encounter gold in the form of beauty.
Ian D. Hall