Setting the tone with layered vocals singing the introspective lyrics, “I used to think I was wrong, manipulation is strong, but then I opened my eyes to the world around me and I was right all along…”, James & Paul open the album Tabula Rasa (Latin for “blank slate”) with the song, MODERN ROMANCE.
The opus expands with alternative pop meets indie-rock hybrid energy, featuring luscious and vibrant instrumentation and emotive delivery from the father and son duo based in Morpeth in the United Kingdom.
We appreciate the wisdom and poetic nuance that James & Paul share with empowering lyrics such as, “I’m gonna say that you’re wrong and this time I will be strong, I’m gonna protect my rightful freedom of speech…”
Speaking on the meaning of MODERN ROMANCE, the duo tell us, “This song is written about the idea that in modern times, people are obsessed with their strong political views, to the point where they’re more committed to their scripted side of the argument than their own relationships with people.”
BLINDED opens with enigmatic Spanish guitar and expands with luscious vocals into a delectable soundscape full of vibrant emotion. We are in awe of the melodic sonic landscape, and James & Paul tell us the song is “about people being blinded by their own biases, to the point where reasoning and negotiation is off the table”.
Next up is SOLITUDE which has a more stripped back and acoustic guitar energy, with a more romantic edge. Elaborating on the meaning, the rising pair confess that it was written in lockdown and is “essentially about finding yourself when you’re trapped in your own solitude. It’s about going insane and wanting human contact.”
We love the relatable vibe that James & Paul share with their artistry and how cohesively their voices fuse together to create emotive harmonies.
FOUND YOU is the fourth track on the record and give a more country-folk energy, once again showing the diversity that the group has to offer. They tell us, “It is about a strangely small blonde girl. The song is about her being so small, that she’s quite hard to find sometimes – hence the name!”
Track number five is FREEZE which opens with intricate acoustic guitar and showcases the raw and authentic emotion from James & Paul as they sing about being trapped in a toxic relationship to the point where they would rather live in the discomfort, than tolerate the conflict of attempting to end it.
FEELS LIKE gives us an alternative rock energy with the opening lyrics, “Tell me what I’ll understand, and maybe I will make a sound…” and touches upon the themes of suffering from panic attacks and seizures.
WAYCA (When Are You Coming Around) has an emotive guitar intro with padded building drums and features additional vocals from Jazzy & Kewen, and delivers a conceptual narrative based on the Bonnie & Clyde story and what could have been if Clyde’s early life had gone a different way, akin to the Butterfly Effect. We really learn to love the depth of the duo’s story telling here and the guitar solo is out of this world.
Next up is SKYSCRAPER HIGHS which feels like the perfect fit for a 90s Americana movie and the duo tells us that it is written about being completely obsessed with someone, who is “incredibly toxic and hurtful”. They add, “It’s about being infatuated by the bad and mistaking it for an all time high”, which is a running theme on the record!
TEN THOUSAND MILES kicks off with playful guitar layers and the lyrics, “Seems like I’m going nowhere, and I’m breathing the same old old air…”. It expands into a song about wanting to leave the UK, leave everything behind and go and live in Cyprus. A very relatable subject considering the state of the climate in the UK!
STAY AWAKE opens with an immersive energy and the rising duo tell us that it was written about “the idea of a couple being trapped in their home during lockdown, resulting in their love fading and they end up irritating each other with their boredom”. We can really relate to a lot of the themes that the record touches upon, and can imagine that James & Paul will find their audience with their brand of eye opening alternative pop rock.
The title track of the album is TABULA RASA which hold an enigmatic and mysterious energy, and is the only instrumental track on the record, and we are truly hypnotized. The energy really sums up the concept in Latin and the overarching theme of the record. We love how it crescendos towards the end before fading out.
PLEASE JUST… delivers a power pop vibe and the band tells us that it is about “having a one night stand with someone, but you realise you can’t stand them and want rid of them before they get to know you.” We are in love with the luscious harmonies and the intricacy of the guitar! It reminds us of some iconic Brit-rock moments from the 90s and would make for an epic single release.
The penultimate track is THE END and featured the enigmatic and moody minor key energy that we have come to be connected deeply to on the record. James & Paul tell us “this is part one of an armageddon/reborn theme. This part is based on the end of the world as we know it with a series of nuclear strikes having wiped out most of humanity. It starts off slowly and builds up to a fast section which is meant to represent the bit where people start panicking when they realise what’s coming.” Infused with luxurious harmonies and a climactic electric guitar end, we are in awe.
The opus that we have enjoyed so deeply comes to a finale with NEW DAWN – the second part of the armageddon/reborn theme. It starts off with acoustic guitar and the sound of birds, which is designed to represent the rebirth of the planet. It ends with a long solo from Paul which ‘celebrates’ the New Dawn.
We are grateful and moved to have experienced the album in full, TABULA RASA is an epic collection of songs, and it is clear how much authentic energy James & Paul have delivered to bring the record to life!
We have added TABULA RASA and THE END to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we stream the entire record again on loop!