We spoke to Jack ahead of the launch of his debut album, Danube Blues, with a launch night happening at Scarborough’s Crescent Lounge on Saturday March 29th.
Jack Robertson appears to have arrived on the scene from virtually nowhere; and it feels somewhat that way to him, too, as he admits that the last ten months or so in particular have seemed like a whirlwind.
Moving to Scarborough from Sheffield at age 10, he first picked up a guitar thirteen years ago and learned to play by himself; but as a competitive runner for many years, this passion outweighed the impetus to do much with music beyond his own bedroom, until 2016 led him to stop running; and music filtered in to fill the gaps.
In the interim, tragic events and the experience of the pandemic led to difficult times emotionally and for advancing with his passion for music. It took until the very end of 2023 and deciding to get out to some open mics – very much feeling still quite raw as a performer – to give the impetus, “Coupled with being given a stern talking to by my best mates from university!”
Initially incredibly anxious about his singing ability, Jack turned to Amy at Hyperbright Studios for some lessons, and was given the advice that he had a voice, he just needed some confidence. A series of lessons later, he felt up to taking on his first gig, which was at the Star in Cayton at the end of May 2024; it so happened that one of the members of the band Shindig [Eddie Sayburn] also worked there, heard Jack, and recommended that he open for one of their gigs; and thus began the whirlwind that has led us to Jack’s album launch less than a year later. (Although as an amusing sidebar, Jack admits that at a later Shindig gig, he got asked to do a Dylan cover with the band, It Ain’t Me Babe, but was a little drunk by that time and his own performance was, in his words, “shambolic punk!”)
Having started out playing covers, Jack knew he wanted to write, and just before his 29th birthday in July 2024 he vowed to create an album before he turned thirty. “I only had one song at that point!”
He explains that he kept gigging, and writing, but then decided that a self-created writers’ retreat was what was needed to give the headspace for this aim to be achieved. “So I went on to Ryanair, filtered by price, and found the cheapest place to travel to at that time was Bratislava. I booked four nights in a hostel that was pretty run-down, but had the most amazing time on my own in cafes, pubs – usually with a book, but otherwise alone.” This ploy worked and five of the eleven tracks on Danube Blues were written during that brief window. One of them – Window Seat – was actually penned on the plane!
Jack’s style sits under the banner of folky blues, with the concept album telling a full story throughout its running order. He explains the theme is really an autobiographical slice of life, from January 2020 to the present day; he’s aware that a lot of vulnerability will be on display and that daunts him, but the process was also cathartic: the writing process has perhaps played a part in some aspects of healing. “It’s been a bit like a form of therapy”.
Acknowledging his vulnerable, exposed heart-on-sleeve emotions within the album, he also hopes that rather than necessarily studying the meanings within the songs, people will attach their own experiences and connotations to them – after all, every song can mean something different to every person. Indeed, early listeners have already been coming up with their own, differing interpretations.
As to the tracks themselves, he explains that six are finger picked acoustic tracks, with five being full band arrangements. “It was difficult at first to figure out the order, whether they should be grouped together or mixed in, but the story had to be in the right order; I panicked a bit about the contrast, but Chris [Jones] at Beckview Studios was able to mix and master it to make those transitions smooth.” The story nature has led to the majority not having a chorus (only two of the eleven), he explains that it just didn’t fit the pattern and was a conscious style choice. Besides liking the idea of creating a concept album, Jack is influenced by Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Bob Dylan – a lifelong influence – and Arctic Monkeys.
The band he has assembled to support his album creation are Lewis Ward on bass, and Joe Gardham on drums. Whilst clear that this is a solo project that he needed support with rather than the formation of a band, he is full of praise for their talent and commitment, commending their ability to be sent the five band tracks and to cook up the changes needed. After the album launch on March 29th at the Crescent Lounge, Scarborough, their next appearance together will be at The Queens, Bridlington, on 12th April.
The launch will feature a number of great support acts: Nils Arnold, Beth Pilling, and Lewis Ward also appearing as a duo with Sam McKie – the LewGrass Band. All of them have been guided to play no covers, “I wanted it to be a real celebration of original music.” Pleasure Centre’s Charlie Hunter is doing their sound, and Jim Taylor has helped with equipment – it’s been a really supportive, community atmosphere surrounding the event. “It’s reassuring having this support; I want to focus on the night on just my singing, guitar and harmonica – though I’m just learning how to use that on a harmonica harness. It’s taking all my co-ordination!”
Danube Blues is very much an acoustic album, and whilst it’s too early to be moving straight on to album no. 2, Jack is already thinking that he’ll develop the electric side of things more next time, perhaps through some collaborations. He is determined not to be too perfectionist or rush things, but he does have sights set on the next one within 12 to 18 months. A deadline seemed to work for him to push to completion, so it seems reasonable to be plotting the next goal.
He also reveals that there is a co-writing credit for a collaborator on track 5 – Lucidity. “Charles Kirby really helped, I had written the lyrics of this song, about a lucid dream, but he helped with the structure. We spent a day together – he’s a great wordsmith, and gave me an insight into how he writes; and I have now refined my technique to incorporate some of those principles. Songs themselves can sometimes pour out for Jack, several in a short space of time, while others take longer to ‘brew’; “it’s probably about a 50/50 ratio of ones that fall out naturally to ones that take longer.” But the lyrics always comes first. “I came back with what were essentially five poems from Bratislava; I almost bought a guitar over there in that short stay, but thought I should wait until I was home to complete them!”
His family always listened to music; the music always playing in the family car introduced him to Dylan and Creedence Clearwater Revival; and he notes that his sister in particular had been incredibly supportive as he leaned into his music-making. He is clear that he couldn’t have gotten here so quickly without his family. And those uni mates who pushed him to get on with it? “They’re travelling here from all over for the album launch! Newcastle, Bedfordshire, Essex, to support me. And it’s a really supportive scene, so I can’t wait for the launch, I’m so excited.”
Links:
Jack Robertson: Spotify : YouTube : Instagram
Danube Blues Album Launch, Saturday March 29th at The Crescent Lounge, Scarborough, from 7pm.
Free entry, with support from Nils Arnold, Beth Pilling, and The LewGrass Band
