Jack Savoretti - Before the Storm Review

If you had never heard (of) him before, you would swear Jack Savoretti had timed his arrival on the British music scene to perfection. His gruffly soulful voice and introspective singer-songwriting chime with the music of Josh Kumra, and although he doesn’t have the faint glimmer of association with the world of grime enjoyed by Ed Sheeran you can see this album appealing to a similar audience.

The difference is that Savoretti is older than Sheeran by eight years and this is his third album. His first two – 2007’s Between the Minds and 2009’s Harder Than Easy – didn’t reach the commercial heights expected of someone with his husky tones and, let’s be honest, hunky frame, apparently losing out in the sexy-but-sensitive-troubadour stakes to James Morrison and Paolo Nutini.

For his third album, Savoretti is taking no chances. Produced by Martin Terefe (Morrison, Jason Mraz) and featuring a songwriting team-up with Steve Booker (co-writer of Duffy's Mercy), Before the Storm is a trove of gently strummed acoustica for fans of manly introspection and romantic navel-gazing. Not Worthy is the freewheeling opener, complete with handclaps, the kind of thing that would have made sense cruising down a US freeway in 1977. The Proposal takes this retro-country-rockin' to its logical conclusion, effectively revisiting the melody and brisk gait of Take it Easy by the Eagles. ...full text This album feels like everything is falling into place


Since re-emerging on the live scene at the beginning of last year, acclaimed singer songwriter Jack Savoretti has been showcasing material from his new album Before The Storm this time joined on stage by his band The Dirty Romantics and captivating audiences wherever he goes.


Written with, amongst others, long time collaborator Steve Booker (co-writer of Duffy's 'Mercy') and produced by the hugely sought after Martin Terefe and The Suppliers (Mary J Blige, James Morrison and Jason Mraz) this third studio album has already been getting support from BBC Radio 2, playlisting track Knock Knock, along with his duet with Sienna Miller Hate & Love used in The Vampire Diaries.


While his writing has always surpassed expectation, this new collection of songs sees an artist coming of age. Lyrically it remains a quintessential Jack Savoretti album, yet the recordings are far more diverse than ever before. With the romantic introspective poetry ever present, there is someone new, a darker, more experienced vocalist asking no longer for acceptance but looking for the good times and on his own terms....full text When you find out you’re listening to a man that once did a tour of Caffé Nero’s around the UK, you suddenly expect to be in awe of his mediocrity. I mean they don’t let just anyone play music while you’re drinking coffee, not like buskers or anything, don’t be so ludicrous. Heathens.

Yes, Jack Savoretti did play in a lot of coffee shops, but that was then and this is two albums and a heap of Radio 2 B-list coverage later. Now, I might not be helping his image here, but you at least have a fully formed picture of a man in your head that I can now turn upside down. I intend to do that by telling you that the Italian Englishman has dueted with actress—wait for it—Sienna Miller—that’s not even the best bit—on the track ‘Hate and Love’ which appears on popular teen drama The Vampire Diaries—I KNOW....full text