Trust me #30
Song of the year - Love and Hate in a Different Time by Gabriels
Earlier on in 2021 Paul Weller curated a mix CD titled Into Tomorrow for Mojo magazine. One of the songs was Love and Hate in a Different Time by an artist called Gabriels. It stood out a mile and I played it a lot in the car.
But ... I never checked up on the artist. I just assumed that it was an old soul cut from the late 60's or early 70's, an era that Weller is passionate and knowledgeable about.
In late September sunshine I was driving my Mum and sister to North Berwick and I had the CD on. My sisters ears pricked up as Gabriels played.
WHAT IS THAT?!
Oh it's a song on a Paul Weller compilation, brilliant isn't it?
WHO IS IT?
Emmmm can't remember, the CD cover is in our kitchen!
On the way back we played the song again and Carla sent me a message to remind me to check the song and artist when I got into our kitchen. I did and Carla checked up on Gabriels.
IT WAS RELEASED THIS YEAR! THE EP IS AMAZING
Carla tends to send messages in block capitals when excited!
And then a couple of months later.
GABRIELS IS PLAYING KING TUTS IN APRIL ... CAN YOU GET US TICKETS?!
I could and I did. By this point Love and Hate in a Different Time was our song of the year. The gig is SOLD OUT. Check this dreamy live performance.
Check Gabriels stunning performance for Later to see and hear why and read on for a full introduction to the band. You can also check this short film.
Gabriels is singer Jacob Lusk with producers Ryan Hope and Ari Balouzian. The trio release Loyalty (feat. Ashley Sade) as their debut single in 2018, a slow burning soulful confessional gem, beautifully structured and delivered.
There was a gap of two years to 2020's In Loving Memory, another ballad. Lusk's voice is stunning, whispering his story, the backing vocals are exquisite, the finger snaps really SNAP. The production is sublime.
Love and Hate in a Different Time was released in June this year as an EP, also including the songs Professional, In Loving Memory and their debut single Loyalty.
As mentioned, the title track simply blew me away; the lyrics, arrangement, playing, voice and production. The use of backing vocals, strings, handclaps, effects .... Love and Hate in a Different Time is ridiculously good. Classic, timeless, pure, beautiful, sublime ...
We lost it in the fire
Love and hate in a different time
We lost it in the fire
What I did to make you mine
Professional is gorgeously swoony and dreamy, Lusk's voice is simply heaven sent and again, the strings and arrangement are just incredible. So beautiful. Lusk is backed by fellow angels as the song takes a gentle but lovely twist.
You were supposed to protect me baby
You were supposed to love me
Innocence is moody, dark and atmospheric. Stark at times, beautiful strings offer glimmers of hope at others. Lusk sounds wounded, singing ain't love a hypocrite? when he sounds like he already knows the answer.
Lusk sounds more hopeful Blame, but he also sings of being lost and asking who will catch him when he falls down.
Can't be a slave if I'm already free
Can't be a captive if it's where I wanna be
The highest compliment I can pay Gabriels is that they sound like nothing else going on (that I have heard) at present. It's just sublime
Stranger is quite outstanding. Again, just dripping with soul, aching with hurt, the instrumentation, the arrangements - utter genus. Just before 2-minutes the melody begins to flow...
I wish I would've told you
We had something I never had
I wish that I could hold you
I f**ked up and can't take it back
Lusk goes on to realise now we're just strangers, two distant strangers, you're just a stranger.
Dreamy strings usher in Bloodline, there is an old 50's jazz style feeling to the song - vocals and instrumentation. Lusk tells a story of his ancestors, his bloodline, getting poetic by urging people to speak bravely, speak truly, do it with all of your heart. Imploring keep rising, keep shining, 'til the ocean meets the stars, ending by saying don't let it destroy you
And you can check them all via my Trust Me playlist on Spotify by CLICKING HERE or searching for Everything Flows Trust Me.
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