A unique and interesting Acid Jazz/Soul/Disco-infused new album from the East Sussex songwriter
In 2014, and after finding success as a founding member of the Brand New Heavies, Jim Wellman was looking to walk away from the music business entirely. In the end, he just couldn’t stay away – his frustration with events such as the Western support of fascism in the Ukraine combined with his dislike of the propaganda flowing in from the mainstream media, and he wasn’t comfortable keeping silent.
Fast-forward to what he considers his best work to date, and you’ll find that ‘Dawn To Dusk’ is heavy on social commentary and overflowing with musical goodness. He’s just unveiled the video for his new single ‘Probably Good‘, and it’s really a rather nice track – the smooth vocals and shiny production make it an enjoyable listen, but they don’t subtract from the song’s heavy lyrical content. Check it out:
He doesn’t just follow the trends
Many musicians are focused on finding the trends, exploiting the trends, and attempting to find the best algorithm to the money at the end of the road. For Jim Wellman, the message is what’s important, and the creative passion he has for his music shines through as strongly as the seriousness of the message he relays to the listener throughout ‘Dawn To Dusk’. The topics range from the perspective of human psychological evolution and the analysis of mass communication and propaganda to the medieval form of government that has only the interest in staying at the top of the mountain. It’s safe to say that Jim Wellman is a thinking musician, and one cares a lot about the well-being of the human race, and we think that this is a great thing.
The man’s got musical experience
One might consider why someone with such a vast musical background would consider walking away from the artistic medium they obviously loved so much, but that is not nearly as important as the fact that Jim Wellman didn’t walk away. Because of this, we’re now graced with an album that not only has its own unique sound, but also some brings us important and much-needed social commentary in a time where the propaganda machine just isn’t slowing down.
