Jubilee by Muntjac
Thoughts on the 2022 Album by Muntjac.
Hi Pal,
Welcome to another review where I tell you how I feel about a specific album or EP release. We will check out Jubilee by Muntjac in today's edition.
Muntjac is the musical project of Mark Hutchinson, a musician based in the United Kingdom. On many of his songs, it’s difficult to pin him to one genre bracket as he often blurs the lines between alternative rock and modern folk.
Over the years, I’ve grown fond of tagging his music as ‘storyteller indie’ because he has a knack for crafting intricate tales and delivering them with a slight rasp singing in a range that swings nicely between tenor and baritone.
A few short months after the release of his debut album, Stranger, back in 2021; Muntjac was already releasing new singles early in 2022 which eventually came together to create the album Jubilee.
“Ypres Train” starts this album, with simple guitar strums and a steady drum beat. 15 seconds in, it is clear that the strings are going to be stars of the show as the song hits you with a swelling string section. The strings swell and recede throughout the song, acting as a call-and-response mechanic as well as supporting the lead guitars during the instrumental interlude. Still, nothing prepares you for the end of the song as Muntjac sings, “…alone while surrounded by nurses…are you there, are you there, are you there” As those final three words are sung on repeat, the instruments create a haunting wall of sound that cuts straight to the heart.
“Year of the Drought” is a lyrical poem whose title reminds me of famine stories from the Bible. In each verse, Muntjac paints different scenarios that breathe life into the title's themes as a master poet would. The horns on this song steal the show acting as an interlude between choruses and ushering us to the end of the song.
“Tides” is a tale about writing a letter on the sands by the seaside and in each verse, the principal character, played by Muntjac, speaks about the circumstances surrounding him and the state of his heart. It’s a gut-wrenching song filled with regret and longing, perfectly encapsulating the temporary nature of life, represented by waves washing away the sand. This album has a number of emotional landmarks and this was the first one to hit me. Everything is masterfully crafted from the instrumentation to the vocal harmonies.
“Yesterdays” builds on the themes of its predecessor, shifting its focus slightly towards those who have left us behind in the world. The song starts with a reference to King Ozymandias exploring the brevity of life irrespective of how great your achievements are when you are here. My favourite lyrics here on this song are, “…some we remember with derision, some we remember with fear…they are no longer here, yesterday’s women, yesterday’s men, now just a memory…”
“Jubilee Day” was the first song I heard off this album. It was inspired by the silver jubilee of the Queen of England that took place in 1977. For Muntjac, the silver jubilee felt like a ray of hope in desperate times for him. He wrote the song to capture the experiences that took place both during and after this celebration. In many ways, it’s a song that seeks to capture a moment, while acknowledging that moments are not enough to cause any true change.
“Watchmaker” is a song that seeks to explore the relationship between evolution and faith, drawing inspiration from the popular watchmaker analogy given by Christian apologist and theologian William Paley in his book Natural Theology or Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity (1802). Muntjac asks open-ended questions as he asks, “…did life emerge from a primordial soup, did we learn first to swim, then to walk fly and swoop, driven by the urge to survive…” The song ends with Muntjac making Biblical references to the Israelite journey in the wilderness and how personal encounters with God can ‘warm the heart’.
“Jephthah’s Song” is directly inspired by Judges 11 & 12 and is sung from the perspectives of Jephthah and his daughter respectively. It’s an interesting take on the tale and further proof that Muntjac’s creativity knows no bounds. “Forgotten” brings the album to a close as a song dedicated to the work being done to help poor communities that feel forgotten — as the name implies. It’s a delightful acoustic song made grander by buoyant strings, dramatic interludes and a swelling instrumental conclusion.
Jubilee is a collection of stories and it is plain to see that Mark Hutchinson cares about every theme explored across the length of the album. Sonically, it is a diverse cast of instrumentals with the strings and the horns breathing life and character to each tune depending on what the song demands.
If I had any gripes with the album, it would be the similarities in some of the composition choices across the tracklist. As a result, it’s quite possible to accuse this album of being a tad monotonous or lacking in diversity at certain points.
Still, that does not take anything away from the incredible work that went into this project. Muntjac’s intent and messages seep through every sound and bleed through every note.
Genre(s): Alternative Rock, Indie Folk
RATING: 4.5/5
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That’s it for today.
Catch you soon!
Talk to me about your favourite songs on the album. Also, let me know of any other albums or EPs you’d like me to review.
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