Jon Allen - Sweet Defeat (2011) Expanded Edition 2012

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Jon Allen - Sweet Defeat (2011) Expanded Edition 2012

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Where a slow-burning, word of mouth campaign was hugely beneficial to Jon Allen – his debut album, 2009’s Dead Man’s Suit, was given a sizeable leg-up by one track’s use in a Land Rover campaign, while champions included Jo Whiley, Jools Holland and Emmylou Harris – second album Sweet Defeat not only has the task of matching this, but is also burdened with the albatross of assumed instant impact. But it seems as though that’s the last thing Allen is worried about.

While his passport may substantiate the on-paper Britishness of this Hampshire-born artist, his yarns and philosophies paint a picture of a grizzled American folk musician, decades of abandon behind him. Sweet Defeat, in this vein, employs good honest rock'n'roll ideals, actioned via a collection of simple, folksy melodies.

Opener Joanna offers a thoughtful helping of drive-along Americana, while the bluesy strum and unembroidered narrative of Lucky I Guess lightens the tone. But the remainder of Sweet Defeat is largely an introverted, country-flecked affair, with a serene modesty permeating proceedings. A few sparse examples of sober attitude depict a more ballsy side to Allen, in particular the teeth-bearing stance of No One Gets Out of Here Alive. But for the most part, his subtly gravelly tone covertly achieves this, regardless of each track’s own theme.

Truth be told, Allen doesn't have the most urgent identity. The robust, muscular intricacies of his voice do unveil themselves over time, but on the surface Sweet Defeat bears no quirks or gimmicks or immediate distinctiveness. And yet, rather than resulting in generic indifference, it actually provides a sizeable part of its charm. Sweet Defeat doesn't set out to conquer the iPods of a billion consumers – it simply, and rather beautifully, illustrates the talent of its author, on a level he dictates. And you can’t help feel that, no matter how many eminent ears he manages to prick up, that’s an understated tenacity he won’t ever stray from.

Review by Al Fox, BBC

Adhering to the unwritten rule that every acoustic troubadour must record a break-up album, Jon Allen's second effort, Sweet Defeat, sees the Hampshire-born singer/songwriter pour his heart out on 11 intimate acoustic tracks which further develop the early-'70s Americana sound of his 2009 D.I.Y. word of mouth debut Dead Man's Suit. Blessed with a whiskey-soaked set of lungs, part Rod Stewart, part Kelly Jones, the Radio2 favorite doesn't need to do much to convince listeners of his bar-propping credentials, as evident on the Eagles-esque country-rock opener "Joanna," the steel guitar-led shuffling blues of "Lucky, I Guess," and the gentle melancholy of "Broken Town." But as heartfelt and melodic as the poignant, fingerpicking folk of "Last Orders," the Simon & Garfunkel-esque "Here Tonight," and the stripped-back guitar-twanging "Think of You" are, Allen only begins to set himself apart from the plethora of similar young British aficionados of retro West Coast rock when he pursues a sound closer to home. "Love's Made a Fool Out of Me" is a gorgeous slice of yearning, Paul McCartney-esque pop, which could well be an homage to the Beatle who founded the LIPA college Allen graduated from; "No One Gets Out of Here Alive" opens with some somber piano chords before turning into a ballsy and rousing nu-folk anthem: while the title track echoes the blue-eyed soul of James Morrison with its gospel backing vocals, swirling Hammond organs, and triumphant brass section. By unashamedly wearing its influences on its sleeve, Sweet Defeat often runs the risk of becoming nothing more than an authentic pastiche, but while it might not push any musical boundaries, it's still a charming and achingly honest affair which continues to position the U.K. as the unlikely current hotbed of Americana talent.

Review by Jon O'Brien, Allmusic.com

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Jon Allen - Sweet Defeat (2011) Expanded Edition 2012

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Jon Allen - Sweet Defeat (2011) Expanded Edition 2012

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Jon Allen - Sweet Defeat (2011) Expanded Edition 2012

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