Seventeen minutes of music from three years of recording doesn’t indicate a great deal of work for an artist. Yet in the case of Jean-Philip Grobler’s Kites project, it is simply because he is such a perfectionist and any man who aims for his EP “to represent everything that … is beautiful about pop music” is clearly going to spend some time honing his craft. ‘You And I In The Kaleidoscope’ is by no means perfect but each track is clearly geared towards making stirring songs that linger long in the memory.
‘Easy Now’ kicks off like Andreas Johnson’s early 21st Century hit ‘Glorious’ thanks to its sweeping intro and anthemic chorus. The dramatic opener ‘Daylight’ echoes ‘Seeds Of Love’-era Tears For Fears whilst the powerful finale ‘Heroes And Villains’ could easily pass muster as a Bond sondtrack. For me, though, it’s the third track ‘Game Of Love And War’ which is the best offering. Some beautifully sung melancholic verses segue stylishly into a downbeat yet uplifting chorus. Otherwise, Grobler’s songs tend to for the jugular with a huge guitar sound and ambitious arrangements. Ultimately though, what Grobler lacks in subtlety he makes up for with urgent, melodic songs that cry out for - and deserve - mass acceptance.
Web Sites:
Kites MySpace
Further Listening:
Kongos, World Party
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