Album Review

Jack Savoretti – Harder Than Easy

• 13th Jul 2009

At first listen, Jack Savoretti appears to share more than a name with another guitar-slinging Jack. Unlike his name-sake – Johnson. The 25-year-old’s acousta-pop has the added depth of alt. country, the blues and folk influences.
Having only picked up a guitar at 16, the half-Italian, half-English troubadour has supported Corrine Bailey Rae, had his songs featured on One Tree Hiil, played live on GMTV and been compared, by some, to Simon & Garfunkel and Bob Dylan.
Whilst Savoretti’s lyrical content is certainly inspired, musically he owes more to the likes of Pete Yorn on the more upbeat numbers, and Dallas Green on mellower tracks.

High points of Harder Than Easy, his second album, include the jaunty opener “Map of the World”, mournful string-laden “Songs from Different Times” and the harmonica fuelled closing country stomp of “Patriot”. With it’s delicately finger-picked verse and swelling chorus, “Wonder” also stands out.

The only curious element of this otherwise shining LP is quite why somebody of Savoretti’s heritage would sing with an American twang, an idiosyncrasy accredited to time spent at The American School In Switzerland, which has left him as a self-professed “transatlantic mutt”.
Taken at face value, this is a good solid record, but it’s when you delve deeper that Savoretti really shines. Here’s hoping that the opportunity arrives for people to take the time to do just that.