Jake Shears — Last Man Dancing — Album Review
Pop | Electronic | Dance
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music
Jake Shears, of Scissor Sisters fame, made up a pretty generous chunk of my musical childhood through that very band. In fact, I vividly remember the band’s hit song “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’” as one of the very first songs ever that I actively liked.
With all of that said, the decision for Jake Shears to venture down a new musical chapter through a solo discography felt like a pretty big deal to say the least. And with the release of his debut solo album, which was self-titled, the results of this decision definitely seemed successful.
Being an enjoyable enough album for me to get a signed copy of the vinyl, this self-titled record saw Jake Shears injecting his unique and underrated musical presence into something that carried a bit more of a grand yet contemporary feel, in comparison to the bombastic electronic dance essence that made up the core of the final albums from Scissor Sisters.
Given that this debut solo album arrived to us all the way back in 2018, the prospect of the artist releasing his sophomore solo album this year was an exciting prospect indeed.
The first teaser track could not have come at a better time either; titled “Too Much Music”, the triumphant and feel-good dance feel of this track fit in perfectly with my current situation (that being my full-time move into Brighton, of course).
And while, somehow, the following three teaser tracks seemingly eluded my discovery, it only meant that I was even more excited to dive into this album upon its release.
Given the name of Last Man Dancing, the sophomore solo album from Jake Shears was allegedly inspired by all the chaotic house parties he had been a part of. Pair that with the name, the album cover, and the style that the teaser brought, and it was painfully obvious as to what kind of album this would be, even before I delved straight into it.
That’s right; Last Man Dancing is an electronic dance album through and through, and it feels to me that the clear intent of this album was to get listeners pumped for the summer fun that lies ahead of us. This album simulates the same kind of energy you would get from some kind of alternative club night, which I will say does add to this albums enjoyment.
However, those of you readers who are quick on the draw may be questioning the statement further up in this same review. You know; the one in which I praised Jake Shears’ self-titled album for being a refreshing divergence from the electronic dance style that ultimately spelt the end for Scissor Sisters. Well that statement still stands true, and this is unfortunately going to be the part in which I give Last Man Dancing an equal criticism.
As much as this album achieves being a summer vibe by way of being the danceable experience that it is, it shouldn’t go without saying that this also feels quite generic by Jake Shears standards. What I enjoyed about the self-titled album, and prior to that, classic scissor sisters, was that it really felt like a brand of music that felt unique to them.
On the flipside, you have an aesthetic that is clearly tried and tested, and to a degree, even worn down in some cases. While some of the earlier bops on this record (the aforementioned “Too Much Music” being one of them) were certainly enjoyable, it felt I was spiralling more and more into the rabbit-hole of generic electronic dance the further into the record I went.
And while my worries that the appeal of this album might unfortunately fade slightly as the summer comes to an end, It should still be mentioned that it is an enjoyable project nonetheless.
Favourite Tracks: Too Much Music | Voices | I Used To Be In Love
Least Favourite Tracks: 8 Ball | Mess of Me
Boys Keep Swinging Inc | Mute Artists Ltd
