5 out of 5

Label: Joyful Noise

Produced by: Corey Barns

If the Jorma + Movie Bare release Lollipop Gold had me convinced that Whittaker’s identity outside of Marmoset was worth paying attention to – Marmoset releases generally being a bit too uneven for my tastes – the simply titled ‘Jorma’ has wholly sold me. Lollipop Gold almost seems like the warmup step to get here, although I very much enjoyed that album: it took the spirit of classic Marmoset and gave it the focus with which Whittaker had imbued his odd but brilliant solo debut many moons ago. Engines revved, Whittaker can now advance that forward, chiseling his often silly ditties into semi-serious odes and observations, where the ‘semi’ isn’t meant to undermine their power: rather that the artist has nailed the crooked smile delivery, where a line that reads like a joke is utterly sincere. It’s a trick that hits hard throughout, from the opening sadsack pledge of commitment in I Like You I Love You to the silver-lining depression of closer My Thoughts.

And there’s so much inbetween: as produced by Corey Barns, the album’s poppy kick is palpable, but there’s still a warmth to the instruments that melts into the inherent college rock radio crackle that’s always been part of Whittaker’s métier; this makes the inclusion of sudden horns at points not feel, I dunno, twee – they drop in like people in the room found horns, and realized they’d perfectly add to the song. The interludes give the artist (and ‘Heavy Hometown’ – perhaps a backing band?) the opportunity to explore the feller filler interlinkings that have existed across his various projects, but by setting them aside and spaced out evenly, they read as purposeful breaks or lead-ins to each punchy hook; little breathers. Even the kinda/sorta Marmoset gag of food-related tracks find its proxy in the nostalgic pop of Pepperonis.

The cover art to Jorma’s first album featured the artist’s image super-imposed with those of clouds; this fit the spacey oddness of the writing. Jorma – again, noting the simplistic titling – is backlit, putting Whittaker’s face completely in shadow. The music stands completely on its own. I love albums where, from the moment I hit play, I have no doubts I’ll be listening to it for a long time to come.