jacksoul – SOULmate
This weeks album choice was really a no brainer for me. I have had jacksoul’s last album for a while now and enjoyed listening to it every now and then, but this week it really took off for me.One of my school assignments this week required me to pick 5 tracks from an album and more or less pick them apart. I had to note all of the instruments, how the mix was constructed, how each song was built, just general information like that. My teacher warned us to not pick an album that we are overly fond of as sometimes picking things apart like this can really ruin the music, however, with jacksoul I found quite the opposite happening.
Since I had never really listened closely to the CD before I was missing a lot of the little things that really make it so great. The subtle synth lines in the background, the use of different instruments to drive tracks forward, and the great lyrics.
One of the most amazing parts of the album is the story that surrounds it. While first working on the very beginnings of the CD the groups lead singer, Haydain Neale, was involved in an accident that put him in the hospital fighting for his life for a fair amount of time. Despite the accident, Neale did not give up on the album and continued to slowly create new material. If the accident wasn’t enough, Neale was then diagnosed with lung cancer, which would eventual claim his life on November 22, 2009. Again faced with hardships, Haydain continued to push through and finished his last album.
I’ll leave you with a quote from his wife, Michaela,
“Through all these challenges, Haydain’s sense of humour and love of music were ever-present. He constantly brightened the room with his singing and his smile. His joyful presence and beautiful voice will be missed by us all.”
R.I.P. Haydain Neale (September 3, 1970 – November 22, 2009)
