I’ll Do Better – Jarrod Gorbel I’ll Do Better – Jarrod Gorbel (Buy)
Jarrod Gorbel’s solo album Devil’s Made a New Friend shows a more personal side of the former front man of The Honorary Title. Going solo suits Gorbel well as he embarks upon a folk sound that makes his voice sound incredibly raw throughout all of the tracks. The distinct vocals found in The Honorary Title are still noticeably consistent within the album.
Re-living the days of growing up, “I’ll Do Better” seems to show a more hopeful glance of nostalgia for Gorbel. The song is simplistic, complemented by a simple plea from a boy to a girl. “When I came to pick you up/the color of my eyes blazed/telling all the mistakes/once again I made.” “Devilish Ways” mimics a speakeasy beat with Gorbel’s haunting harmonies with a steady jazz guitar and a doo-wop background.
“Don’t Want This to End” is quite reminiscent of The Honorary Title’s “Snow Day” and the feeling of infinity that it evoked the first time I heard it. There is a hopeless romantic inside of the tortured voice of Gorbel: “Awkward goodnights/ drawn out goodbyes/I’ll walk you home/ but stay outside.”
“Ten Years Older” shows how naturally Gorbel and acoustic guitar go together. The song’s background chanting and acoustics give a more relaxed tone that was never present in The Honorary Title’s tracks: “We used to escape under the brilliant glare/It’s the high that conquered you/stole the soul from the friend that we knew.”
The plucking of guitar strings creates a truly unique opening for “Weight” and reveals an unconventional and less-produced version of himself. The way his voice carries throughout the song makes it seem as if you are taking a glimpse inside his soul. Similarly, “Impressions” strikes a chord, literally, with Gorbel’s stunning voice accompanying a southern-folk sound. The song resonates as more of a self-analysis more than anything: “You’re so young and impulse driven/you’ve made all of the wrong decisions/you sacrifice someone else’s time.”
Gorbel’s album can be interpreted as an entity rather than piece-by-piece and song-by-song. His vocal versatility shows that he can go beyond being the lead singer of The Honorary Title. Gorbel is currently touring with the Hanson boys on the third leg of their tour.
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