Not even a year on from his last full-length album, The Atheist and Jamie Lenman is back with yet more music. Acting as a companion EP to the aforementioned album, IKnowYouKnowIKnow (Big Scary Monsters) features some of the tracks that didn’t fit in with the theme and sound of The Atheist, allowing Lenman to truly showcase some of the varieties of influences that went into the sound of this phase of his career. What can this additional release add to the package that was his previous album?

 

Starting off with the familiar sound the previous release is the opening track, ‘Words of Love’. Bringing forward his recognizable alt. rock style, the opening tune features that spark that truly defines Lenman as an artist. In someone else’s hands, the song would most likely be sad, drab, and gloomy. Lenman, however, takes this song and turns it into the most hopeful, swelling chorus. As he launches into “Don’t change anything’”, you can almost hear the audiences in the live circuit sing it back to him in unison already. Straight from the get-go, he’s got attention and the listener in the palm of his hands ready, to show the full display of his talents to come.

 

From the second track onwards, however, the styles and melodies of the EP take a swift leftfield turn. ‘Crazy Horse’ is a key example of this. Featuring not much more than an acoustic & drums, this stripped-back approach to his music brings forward elements of acts such as Frank Turner. This new influence in the sound focuses less on the music of the piece but allows Lenman’s writing and storytelling to take the centrestage for the piece. ‘Crazy Horse’ is a testament to Jamie Lenman’s ability to tap into numerous genres and styles without missing a beat.

 

And those Frank Turner vibes that strongly make a return in the penultimate song, ‘I Done Things I Ain’t Proud Of’. Taking things even more stripped back, creating a very intimate feeling and atmosphere, where all is left is an acoustic guitar, a light violin melody, and Lenman’s voice, Jamie goes through the vices of his past, relating to his audiences who may have also have similar regrettable actions. It’s in these vulnerable lyrics that Lenman strips away the rockstar veil to present himself as a person like anyone else in the audience listening along to his songs.

 

Closing on an acoustic version of The Atheist’s ‘This Town Will Never Let Us Go’, the EP completes the circle it started on with its accompaniment to last year’s release. While some artists would have just released a deluxe version of their album featuring some of these tracks, Jamie Lenman has decided to take a different approach. By releasing this additional EP, Lenman has provided the extra material to strive as its own being, having its own themes.

 

IKnowYouKnowIKnow is a much more stripped-back and intimate body of music than its predecessor. Rather than the flamboyant and bold tunes in the album, the EP opts for much more subtle and minimalistic stylistic choices to lead the way, enabling Lenman’s voice, his lyricism, and storytelling lead the path. It is in that he shows the full scope of his persona and talent for creating music. It’s music like this that keeps us all waiting impatiently for his next release.

 

Buy the album here:

https://bsmrocks.com/collections/jamie-lenman

 

8 / 10

CHARLIE HILL