Jack Ladder
Love Is Gone
Spunk
Jack Ladder hasn’t been resting on his laurels since his auspicious 2005 debut, Not Worth Waiting For. Instead, he’s been busy trampling all over them. With a whole lot of swagger, buck and thrust he’s cast off the sad troubadour stylings of yesteryear and now sounds more like an indie-lovechild of Sam Cooke and Dusty Springfield gouging his eyes out in a Sydney rehearsal room.
The drums and bass are close enough to kiss, the guitars short and punchy, and Ladder’s curious half-baritone drone curls and sneers like a skinny white boy fronting a soul revue. That’s not to say it’s all an exercise in imitation. It’s more the work of a tasteful thief who hides the fruit of his plunder among everyday things so they can be enjoyed as new.
It’s not often you see a local artist taking risks like this on their second album and, though not all the ideas hit home, there’s an energy and enthusiasm that can’t be dismissed. On first listen it seems an odd combination for a lovelorn Sydney songsmith, but after a few spins this collection begins to make sense. The themes of lost love and tears provide the link from past to present and also give the album a consistency that is nicely tempered by quirky observations and word play.
'The Barber’s Son' kicks off proceedings with finger clicks and prickly guitars bouncing on pillowy bass, while 'Case Closed' is like a Smog version of a northern soul number. 'I Love Your Mind' is the closest to previous efforts and provides a moment to pause before the pace kicks up again with the title track, 'Love Is Gone'.
Love Is Gone is a huge step up from 2005’s Not Worth Waiting For and Ladder, now living in New York City, is a talent to watch out for. Be sure to catch him when he’s back from the big apple later this month.
Karl Smith