Main Stage Album Feature: Jerome Kugan's 'Songs for a Shadow'

Sun, 09/28/2008 9:59 AM  |  Entertainment

Hello my lovelies, it was a year ago this week (September 22nd 2007, to be precise) that Underground Hum first conspicuously popped up in this esteemed publication like a Mariah Carey fan at a Nine Inch Nails concert, and so far the reaction has been amazing and way better than I could have hoped for.

So I'd like to thank all the readers of UH for all their support and feedback on our first year, and also the wonderful editors at The Jakarta Post for their continuous support of this rambunctious little column, thanks heaps!

The first issue of UH featured Jerome Kugan, a poet with a laptop and a guitar, who was born in Kota Kinabalu on Borneo. He is a small man who is busy carving himself an ever-growing niche in the arts, not only in his homeland Malaysia, but internationally.

Poet, singer, songwriter, short-story writer, culture columnist and visual artist, Jerome is also cofounder of Trobadours KL, an organization focused on promoting Malaysian singer-songwriters worldwide. In fact, his activities in Troubadours KL have made him a sort of poster boy for the Malaysian singer/songwriter scene.

Since then, Jerome has released his debut album Songs for a Shadow to much acclaim. So I thought it would be fitting for the anniversary edition of UH to feature a track by track review of this lovely album that came out earlier this year.

The overall tone of Songs for a Shadow is contemplative, but never dark. It is a collection of stories that tell of the new emotional experiences a person goes through as they mature and brave the often jading experiences of adult romance. Musically, Jerome, with the help of Hardesh Singh and Ariff Akhir, among others, mostly mixes acoustic guitar with blips, beeps, and programmed drums/percussion, with the occasional track eschewing modern technology altogether for a strictly bare approach.

Here is the track by track review:

1. "I Like": A sweet little acoustic opener that perfectly serves its purpose as an emotional tone-setter for the album. The lyrics tell of how it feels to be reminded of all the good things falling in love can bring after growing slowly jaded and skeptical of relationships.

2. "Tomas": This lively, almost dance-able track introduces the programmed elements of this album in full force. The music and lyrics are quite powerful and JK's vocal range is exquisitely showcased. But, I must say that I felt that the thematic content of this song feels a bit out of place compared to the other pieces.

3. "This Excellent Love": One of the most memorable tracks on the album. A perfect meld of acoustic guitar and programmed beats decorated with gorgeous harmonies. Lyrically, it expands upon the emotions expressed in track one beautifully, underlining the plentiful promises of a new love.

4. "The Miracle": Another gorgeous blend of the acoustic and electronic. The dream-like lyrics seem to focus on the trepidations we feel when emotions start to engulf us. The human beatbox effects seem a bit out of place at first, but they eventually blend very well with the rest of the piece.

5. "Flowers": The trepidations felt in the previous track entirely disappear in this track. This song jumps headfirst into those emotions and allows itself to be drowned in them: Let me taste in all directions/Teach me the way/.../To give and give impulsively/To think that nothing else could exist/ To be as vague as a verse/To describe the journey to him/Flowers burn me

6. "Song for the Service Industry": Also one of the standouts on this baby. This track melodically returns to the up-tempo of Track 2. Lyrically, its very unique because it uses sociopolitical metaphors (a faceless waiter speaking to the people he serves) to describe the frustration a person can feel when a relationship starts to become a bit too one-sided.

7. "Lightfalls": Hands down the most powerful track. Accapella with nothing but recorded ambient sounds of a rainy street, this one packs the strongest emotional punch and is also the most visual song on the collection. Must be heard to be truly understood.

8. "Mother": Beautiful, as expected, but not really a standout piece. A bit too long, the music and lyrics grow repetitive around halfway through the song. Honestly, it is a track that I skipped past during my third listen of the album. Nice, but not memorable.

9. "A Shadow": This song features some of the most brilliant tension building I've ever heard. The guitar work, harmonies, clicks and beats escalate slowly but surely as the song reaches its emotional peak.

10. "The Magic Word": Lyrically powerful but musically less so. I felt more when I read the words on the CD sleeve than when I actually heard the song. Once I knew a magic word that could/Change the world into a tiny worm/But then I learned so many words, I changed/My magic word it turned into a bird and flew away.

11. "The Little Cat Song": A gorgeous track musically and lyrically. The words describe the process of gaining emotional maturity in a sweet and very playful manner.

Overall, this is an excellent debut album that I highly recommend to every fan of contemplative singer/songwriters.

You can find out how to buy Jerome Kugan's Songs for a Shadow on his Myspace page: www.myspace.com/jkugan or go to troubadourskl.blogspot.com. Be sure to give him feedback on his music by leaving comments on his Myspace page.

For all you indie bands or artists out there, let us know if you have a gig coming up so we can include it in Reverb. Be sure to include the name of the event you're playing, what other acts are billed, time, place, date and entry fee, if any. Be good!

If you have any questions or suggestions for this column, please contact me at undergroundhum@yahoo.com.

-- Paul F. Agusta

If you have any questions or suggestions for this column, please contact me at undergroundhum@yahoo.com.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.