Dylan John Thomas — (9/10)
Finally, we have a full album by Dylan John Thomas! I have waited for what feels like a lifetime for this album and I am so excited to review it. Majority of the songs have either been released previously or can be found on YouTube. As I review the songs, I will mention if it’s a track I hadn’t heard before. If I don’t mention it, then take it as I’ve heard it before. Like many others and me, I’ve followed Dylan as an artist for years, so I’m ecstatic for him and the release of the album. It was released on Friday 2nd February 2024; however, I thought it was out on Wednesday 31st January, which meant it would have been last weeks album of the week. Nevertheless, here it is…
1. Fever
What a brilliant, high energy and catchy song to have as an opener for an album. Once upon a time, I thought we had lost this song to the remixes, which makes the song meaningless to many people. Saying that, the original is listened too predominantly. It opens with a simple and hooking guitar riff, which then bursts into the full band playing. This is an early example of what Dylan prides himself on, which is his high melodic picking on the guitar, and this riff is only a glimpse of what’s to come. In the vocal melody, it’s short and snappy phrases, which makes it a track that sinks into your brain immediately. In the pre-chorus, there is a sharp strum of each chord, over each phrasing on each word. This then builds up into a terrific chorus. DJT’s vocals become more emotional, as he is almost shouting throughout the section. This chorus is repeated so many times, but it’s so good you don’t get sick of hearing it. In the third chorus, it starts off softer, which is unexpected. However, it then goes back to the tempo and energy we’re expecting. I think this is a great feature to add as it provides variety to the song. My favourite line from this track is, “If time is a healer, find me the dealer”.
Overall Rating — 10/10
2. Feel the Fire
‘Ring of Fire’, was the first song DJT learnt on guitar, so maybe this song could have been in recognition of the influence Johnny Cash had on him, who knows? The track itself is nothing like ‘Ring of Fire’, except for the word ‘fire’. It’s a track which seems to have a deeper meaning behind it, which is ignored by the catchy guitar playing and feel-good sound it possesses. Many lines such as, “Blame my recreation for the thoughts inside my head”, and “Sick of contemplation and the scenes inside my head”, suggest the writer is struggling with what is going on in his mind. There are many references to hell throughout, which ties in with the imagery of fire. “Feel the feel the fire”, is such a catchy melody for the chorus. After the penultimate chorus plays, there is a great instrumental, which progresses into a new key, making that last chorus very exciting. This is a feature that DJT loves to use and it’s highly affective. My favourite line from this song is, “I’ve went all the way, lost in hell”.
Overall Rating — 9/10
3. What I Need
Now, the following statement — this is most eager I have been for the release of a song, in an insanely long time — isn’t an understatement. I have heard him perform this song with just himself and his acoustic guitar on a YouTube video and seen him play it live. And I was in love! Totally obsessed! I couldn’t believe he hadn’t released it yet, as I’d say it’s one of his best tracks. It’s different to the rest of his songs, it’s slightly slower and it opens with a piano. Having said that, many of his tracks are unique in their own sense in comparison, which we will see on the next track. I’m pleased Dylan experimented by playing this on keys, as it’s a great listen from a different perspective of instrument and was a pleasant surprise when I first heard it. I think the opening lines, “The more I know, the less I understand, the more I know that I know nothing” are great. You can tell the type of song it’s going to be about, from the final line in the verse, “It don’t matter much to me, don’t matter much to you”. This infers that if the narrator isn’t phased by something, then the subject isn’t either. A line which responds to this further on in the song is, “If it matters much to you, then it matters much to me”. This shows the love and interest the writer has for this person. As we reach the chorus, the writer is pleading for this person to stay in his life, because he needs her so much. He is saying she can still go her own way and on her own journey, but he wants to be a part of it. I love as the acoustic guitar progressively plays an important role in the song; the high-pitched tone is simply beautiful. I could listen to the instrumental section for as long as I had been waiting for the song to be released! My favourite line from this song is, “How can you be real, no-one has ever made me feel that life’s worth living”.
Overall Rating — Solid 10/10
4. Up in the Air
This is a song that has previously featured on my ‘Song of the Day’ section, so I will keep this one brief. It wasn’t until I heard this track live could I grow an opinion on it. I discovered myself constantly singing it afterwards and it’s a unique one that I love. I still stand by my point that it’s unlike anything DJT has released before, as it’s heavily influenced by Madness. It’s a song that’s in two parts, one side is a soft picking guitar track, whereas the other is a burst of craze of trumpets. Dylan described this one as a, “ska tune with a guitar lament”. My favourite line from this track is, “They expect you to pander, never question their answer, in a hell-bent casket”.
Overall Rating — 9/10
5. Now and Then
Ahh, now this is one of Dylan’s finest works on guitar, the high melodic picking pattern is stunning. From hearing the lyrics, you know it’s a personal one to the writer. “I don’t know if I cried, the day I heard you died, I was too young to remember the scene”, suggests that the writer faced some loss at an early age and missed out on building a relationship with this person. He reflects on how this sometimes hits him that he never really knew this person and wonders how different things could have been. I love how the guitar stops playing just before the chorus, then goes into a groovy rhythm, hitting the bass notes on each chord. A great facet of this song is when it slows down completely and becomes gentler with synth playing. It then returns to an emotional chorus. My favourite line is, “Now and then it hits me hard, and I cannot disregard, the feeling of what could have been”.
Overall Rating — 9/10
6. Melancholy’s Cure
This is one of the tracks that I hadn’t heard before, and I always love a new Dylan track because I love his experimentation with sounds. I always wonder how far his guitar abilities are going to go. In this track, he shows them off in style. I’d say this is one of his most upbeat tracks, and even in the lyrics, it’s about things getting better. I’m finding myself singing this track after only a few listens, which I believe is what makes Dylans tracks so great. They’re catchy and easy to pick up, which is what you want with songs, if it’s a boring song then it isn’t going to stick and it decreases the likelihood of listening to it again. I love the feature of the whistle; it adds another element to this great track. I also admire the feature of the song breaking down and rising back up again. You have to say it’s a must in a Dylan track now. My favourite line from this song is, “You gave up your guns like the Treaty of Versailles”.
Overall Rating — 10/10
7. Rich Boy
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I’m in love with the opening riff for this song. It’s one of many great elements in this song. The whole track is brilliant and every time I listen to it, I must listen again, just to try and appreciate all the different aspects. I’d describe the guitar as playful in the first verse, because it sounds like it’s bouncing around. For some strange reason, and I don’t know why, I love the two lines, “You use to be so modest, I use to be so modest”. Overall, the track appears to be about the writer wanting a girl and wanting to make a move, because he knows her father is pressuring her to be with the “rich boy”. I do infer that he previously had an innocent relationship with this girl, from the lines, “Where did the days go, when we would lay low?” and “It’s shameful, the innuendo”. There’s a beautiful, high pitched yet rocky guitar. This leads into the song being more stripped back, before it leads into the penultimate and then the final chorus. My favourite line from this song is, “Her father wants the rich boy to take her out, but that rich boy couldn’t give her no fun”.
Overall Rating — 10/10
8. Yesterday Is Gone
Again, I’m hooked from the introduction, because of the fantastic guitar riff that commences this song. This then leads into another hooking chorus from Dylan, with the opening line, “Yesterday is gone”. It’s about wanting to leave bad times in the past, to start afresh, where the writer is showing this girl how much he wants her. There isn’t a variety of lyrics in this song, and it’s mainly just the chorus that gets repeated. However, in the short verse, the song eases off, before it builds back up to the chorus. My favourite line from this song is, “Don’t leave your love in the dark, come on, come one, I won’t leave my love in the dark”.
Overall Rating — 9/10
9. Champs — Elysees
Champs-Elysees is an avenue in Paris, which is known for its shops, cafes, and theatres. This is a track that I hadn’t heard prior to the album being released, and if you can’t already tell, I love a new DJT track! It opens with an acoustic chord progression, with a low bassline, which then progresses into a tuneful whistle. In the opening section, there is many references to Greece. The writer wants to take some love from, “Aphrodite”, who is the Greek Goddess of sexual love and beauty. This suggests the writer may have been involved in a holiday romance. As the song progresses, the writer states how they’ve moved to Paris and living a luxurious lifestyle. My favourite line from this track is, “But I guess your life’s so easy, kicking round the Champs Elysees”.
Overall Rating — 8/10
10. When I Get Home
This is another that I have already reviewed on my ‘Song of the Day’ section, so I will keep this brief. It’s a one you only need to listen to the once to know it. It’s different to many of his tracks because it’s more of a strummed song than picked. Keys add a bright sound to this song and the simple bass and drums make the main sound of this song. There aren’t many lyrics in this song, which makes it easy to listen to. Of course, it also features his key change toward the latter part of the track. My favourite line from this song is, “You don’t have to push me, you never have to shush me, girl you know I found my place, baby when I get home, we can get it on, I don’t mind losing the race”.
Overall Rating — 9/10
11. Jenna
There really isn’t a lot to say about this track, apart from how catchy and upbeat it is. It’s the track that Dylan always opens his sets with, and if you don’t know it, you will by the time the song has finished. Lyrically, there isn’t a lot to it, it’s just this sang three times, “Oh-oh-oh, Jenna, how did it end up getting out of hand? We’re never gunna get together, another life we might’ve stood the chance, Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, Jenna, I know you better than the back of my hand, Oh, Jenna, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, Jenna”. The rest of the track is filled with a catchy instrumental part. When I hear this song live, it does get me excited for the rest of the set and is a great opening to get the crowd going.
Overall Rating — 8/10
12. Lovely Day
Another new release from DJT, exciting! The guitar riff that opens this is so clean and soothing. It also consists of a high melodic picked guitar part, which can subtly be heard in the background. It’s a joyful tune, where the writer is expressing his love for the subject, and states that he enjoys every day that he spends with this girl. “Nine till five, day fades into night”, suggests that his love goes away to work throughout the day, and as she does, his love just grows stronger for her, as he is wating for her to return. This track features a breakdown, however the melody changes on it and I love what it adds to the song. My favourite line from this track is, “I guess we’ve gone and had another lovely day”.
Overall Rating — 9/10
13. Wake Up Ma (Live at Barrowlands)
This live version of, ‘Wake Up Ma’, is the final track on the album. This particular live was put on the album as a recognition to the amount of times Dylan has performed here and how it’s helped in his rising career. ‘Wake Up Ma’ is without a doubt his deepest song. When you know that he has been through the care system throuhgout his childhood, it makes you look at it from a different perspective. It’s such an emotional song and leaves me with sympathy for the writer. In the first verse, the writer explains the different things he’d witness whilst growing up, and its things a child shouldn’t have to witness. There are so many heartfelt lines in this track. The one that always gets me is, “Fifteen foster homes, three meals a day can’t fill the hole, can’t fill the hole left in my heart”. Times when I have heard Dylan sing this live, you can hear the pain in his voice as he sings it.
Overall Rating — 10/10
Favourite Track — What I Need
Favourite Lyric — “How can you be real, no-one has ever made me feel that life’s worth living”.
