KARLY JEWELL - Trouble We Are
Written by: Jimmy Wah - Sense Music Media | Tuesday 24 May 2022
Music for the Soundtrack of Our Times
The injection of live music into our veins after lockdown has been the remedy we all needed. KARLY JEWELL has harnessed the opportunity to hit the stage with new tunes, new faces and a newfound energy. To say that energy is something new would be a lie… Karly never stops! Following an active build up to her debut album release Phoenix in 2019, she has spent lockdown working with other bands, featuring on their tracks, working in online radio, appearing on livestreams & podcasts and even releasing her own music. Karly’s hit video single Dancing With the Devil came out last year paving the way for her second release Trouble We Are in 2022. This drip-fed release has been available on Spotify and streaming services since April, even kissing the ears of live audiences during KARLY JEWELL’s recent Adelaide tour with RIOT AFTER MIDNIGHT. Now it comes with a killer new video that brings it to life. Let’s see what all the fuss is about.
Pictured: KARLY JEWELL @ Bendigo Hotel
Photo by: Eric Chow - Chowie Photography
The compressed guitar tone in the opening phrase blooms into a wide, driven, catchy riff. This really sets the tone of this song as something fucking cool to insert itself into the playlist of our times. The audio production of Trouble We Are recorded and produced by Mat Robins at Coloursound Studio Melbourne and mastered by none other than Jack The Bear is second to none, full of subtle tricks like pulling out the mid section of Karly’s voice in the opening verse allowing for her vocal textures to be fully realised, while the chewy bass and poppy drums find their own pocket. The instrumental work compliments the lyrical urgency of the song, driving it forward in what feels like an unstoppable momentum. The chorus comes in so swiftly that the hook grabs you before you have a chance to let your mind wander, with that accessible rock vibe that transports me to the late 90s when bands like NO DOUBT, THE SUPERJESUS, KILLING HEIDI and MAGIC DIRT were at their peak.
The video concept by Karly Jewell of Trouble We Are is the perfect accompaniment to the song. A shifty motel turns it into a gritty, mysterious setting directed and produced by Daniel Armstrong and Rom Anthonis at Strongman Pictures. Cast in a yellow haze, the clip follows the vague narrative of questionable characters checking into a motel whose actions are observed by an unassuming janitor who feels like a guardian of the motel (even if he has done a shithouse job at keeping it clean!). Despite their obvious differences and disturbing personas, the four characters form an unlikely alliance through the offering of a shared humanity. The solitary walls between each of them are lifted in the name of having a good time. The common thread that stitches the song together is that alone we are trouble but together we can have a blast beyond the walls.
The Verdict
The way the clip ties in with the music is testament to the artistic expression of KARLY JEWELL. The dynamics the arrangement combined perfectly with the imagery tells a story that speaks to us all. It has great tone, energy and craftmanship that will light up the stage and slot itself nicely into any radio playlist… and might I add that the fade out is super cool! 🤘
8/10
Pictured: Karly Jewell - KARLY JEWELL
Photo by: Lea Rose - Tattoorose Photography