To call Overtones, the sophomore album by Just Jack, a hip-hop record would be a bit of a misnomer. There are tinges of reggae, disco beat, R&B and good old-fashioned pop music strewn throughout playful raps. Indeed native Londoner Jack Allsopp's rapping style is quite far removed from that of his supposed contemporaries in both British and the U.S hip-hop scenes. Whereas English artists such as The Streets and Dizzee Rascal specialize in grimey beats and street-smart rhymes Just Jack is just about having a good time -simple as that. Lyrically Jack is much like a male Lily Allen -often clever and mocking, yet still amiable and down-to-earth, with an emphasis on the ordinary and often mundane aspects of teenage and twenty-something lives.
His laid back cockney accent makes his music even more appealing. The inherently British tone of his voice is downright charming. Perhaps it is because it's totally removed from the "bling and bullets" bravado that infests much of the current American rap scene. There are no misogynistic boasts or glamorized ghettos. It's just a whimsical and witty take on everyday life.
His laid back cockney accent makes his music even more appealing. The inherently British tone of his voice is downright charming. Perhaps it is because it's totally removed from the "bling and bullets" bravado that infests much of the current American rap scene. There are no misogynistic boasts or glamorized ghettos. It's just a whimsical and witty take on everyday life.
