Jacko Hooper released an end-of-the-year single for the streaming world earlier this month. Muttered Words is a pensive journey, enjoyed best through Hooper’s prose and minimalist production style revealing a love that just isn’t going to make it.
Hooper’s indie/folk sensibilities and stylings result in a spacious, hollow recording worthy of any song regarding love on the rocks. The single is a pendulum, working its way between a spacious, lonely, haunting vocal performance and an almost droning guitar and string part for the opposite sections. Hooper’s vocal is the star here. He’s reflective, soulful and poignant in his delivery; he manages to captivate with only his voice throughout much of the single.
A singer-songwriter from Brighton, Hooper has toured and shared the stage with the best of them. With a few EPs and a handful of singles, Hooper’s streaming sites are replete with whatever you need to get well-acquainted and up-to-speed with his career. After a few passes at his work, you’ll be immediately aware that Hooper is an avid lyricist, basking in the glow of anonymity and assuring resemblance to one’s own stories. He is a writer that graciously allows the listener to apply his observations and folklore to your own. That’s not to say Hooper doesn’t drop poetic glitter bombs here and there, like when he waxes, “stuttering verbs turn into muttering words” in his latest single.
A visual treat, is to stop by YouTube and check out his lyric video for Muttered Words. Aside from a lovely typographic treatment (rarely occurs in lyric videos), Hooper has us mesmerized by the beautiful but desolate winter landscape. Drone and train footage captivate the viewer and work in perfect consort with Muttered Words’ wide-open-spaces vibe. In Hooper’s spare time he can be found running, Folklore Sessions, a boutique record label that he founded. Folklore Sessions has released records with such acts as Bess Atwell, George Ogilvie and Oktoba.
Muttered Words is available now on all streaming platforms.
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Find Muttered Words on our New Indie Music, Lazy Indie Morning and Indie Folk playlists.
Very nice! Really love this review, will check out the album!
Good luck with your music Jacko!
Really great, in-depth review. Good luck with the music!
Reminiscent of early Ben Howard. So lovely!
Wow, what a voice. Lovely songwriting too, and I appreciate the descriptive and beautifully worded review !
Wow, what a voice. Lovely songwriting too, and I appreciate the descriptive and beautifully worded review !
The video makes me want to take a train to snowy wonderland!