There is an old saying that the light seems brighter right before the darkness passes. Strangely it seems almost like a false truth but that would be a misconception. In the case of English musician Dom Clark, he was able to find some light in the darker times of Lockdown by using the extra time he had to focus solely on his music. In a time where the music industry as a whole is still suffering, it is a world that appears uncertain and dreary. Somehow, Dom Clark has pulled through and found himself to be more productive than ever and has been putting out music at a rapid pace.
Pulling inspiration from past and present alike, the jazz-rock sound of his music is drawn from Motown artists of the 1960s and 1970s as well as the modern U.K. jazz scene. Dom Clark also finds influence from the people around him - his band mates as well as fellow musicians who record at his studio Mustard Seed Studio in London. When it comes to songwriting, he is a self-trained musician who stumbles upon a spark and fleshes out the structure and melody of the song completely before he even thinks of the accompanying lyrics. Regarding the lyrics, they are often based around his own experiences in the sense of “. . .whatever you are feeling at a particular moment or one angle of how you think about something since life is too complex to fit it all into one song.”
Dom’s first solo song of the year was an acoustic version of “Castaway,” a song he had previously released with his band the Dom Clark Trio. Released early May in the middle of Lockdown, it is a fitting anthem as the world had stopped, which gave Dom the opportunity to dive into songwriting and have a great amount of time to perfect the music. The acoustic version of “Castaway” is simply a guitar and the occasional melodica. It is mellow in nature, but do not underestimate - its catchiness makes it a song that will revolve around your head!
The Trio version of “Castaway” was released in April and has a more cheerful tone despite the lyrics detailing a castaway stranded. The intro is just great and almost ridiculously catchy. The outro of a trumpet solo and mini jazz jam attests to the grooviness of the song.
The next single the trio released was “The Exception.” The groove is what draws one in, but it is the story in the lyrics that makes one stay: an outsider who has to work twice as hard to be accepted, detailing privilege. Part jazz, part soul, the song is amazing, not just catchy but exceptional. The sound of The Dom Clark Trio is almost impossible to put a year to - it is alive with bits and pieces of the music of the past and future alike. There is not a weak part in the trio; don’t forget it is only three musicians playing - Conor Cotterill on bass, Enmanuel Moreno on drums, and singer Dom Clark on guitar and trumpet. Quality over quantity is certainly a way to describe the music of the trio. . .
As a solo artist, Dom has released two more songs this year: the more funky chill groove of “Meditation” which makes interesting use of stereo sounds. It is certainly a fun listening experience having a guitar in one ear and a trumpet in the other. The lyrics are fantastic! The other song Dom has released is called “Replica.” This song gave me chills the first time I heard it! It is similar in style to “Meditation” and similar to his work with the Trio. “Replica”’s lyrics are beautiful and full of adoration for a lost love.
It is pretty much impossible to pick a favorite of Dom Clark’s songs personally, as there is always something excellent and exceptional in each. All their songs have their strengths and are without fault - which is impressive considering these songs were released from April-September in a shutdown world where all seems lost. While the music industry has been damaged due to Covid, it is still a time where musicians should not lose their hope and joy for their craft. For some musicians, it has been a time where inspiration is flowing. On November 6, the Dom Clark Trio will release another track called “Old Town Bells” and already have a few more tracks lined up for early 2021. For a time that seemed so bleak, there is some good news in the form of fantastic music.
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