Singer-Songwriter Jont may have his new release overshadowed by the new project behind it. Basically the first 250 people to pre-order Set it Free will have it personally delivered by the man himself, then given a personal performance followed by an intimate chat about sharing music.
It is a radical move but it begs three questions, the first being: what if the first 250 people live in various scattered areas of the world? which could personally cripple him financially if he has to go to New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, Alaska etc just for what is essentially a gimmick. The second is: why does he feel the need to do this when an e-mail would suffice? I may be cynical but it just feels like a publicity stunt which leads me into the final question (tongue in cheek): if it is a publicity move, what happens if the people he visits arent too fond of the music and he gets roundly embarrassed? Just a few things to ponder, but on the basis of this album it should be wholly approved by anyone who purchases it, personal visit or not.
It isnt as good as his previous outing Supernatural but it is still another fine collection. The album crackles with energy and imagination from start to finish, including the brilliantly up-tempo Lets Roll and fantastic tracks like Drink Up and Enjoy the Good Times. Jont shows his mastery of modernising certain musical styles without coming off as a fake and this album is another one that ticks most boxes. Two tracks stick out as a tad poor, 36 Oysters and Hotel Telephone but the rest is highly consistent and engaging on multiple levels. Its one for fans of a good quality production as much as the musical output. By the time the beautiful Dying on the Moon reaches its end you can be safely assured that no one will throw that disc back in his face were he to visit. Personally I think he should ditch the ridiculous-sounding experiment in case it puts people off buying the album, for that would be a real shame. Pulsating stuff yet again.