Jessie Ware takes us on an intimate journey for her third album, Glasshouse. The album is appropriately titled as she is honest, raw, relatable and vulnerable. Each song has its own foundation and stands alone and strong. It most certainly is a “let it ride” album that you can and will listen to all the way through. Ware’s first two albums were easily classified in the pop genre. This new masterpiece takes inspiration from many genres, moods and tempos. Yes, it’s a masterpiece, a woven tapestry of her life that makes you feel warm and at home.
“Sam”, a moving tribute to her husband is the song that first caught my ear on Spotify. Lyrics such as, “I think need to talk to my mother, because I’m about to have a child all of my own” backed by a low acoustic guitar pull at your heart strings. You will be moved to tears (as I was) with “I hope she knows that I found a man far from my father. It’s just Sam, my baby and me.” You can feel all of the emotions that Ware was going through on each song and you too go through them. The lead singles “Midnight” and “Selfish Love” are a bit more hard hitting and upbeat. The album is a nice blend that keeps you engaged and wanting to hear more. There are mellow to hard hitting ballads that will make you clap your hands and tap your feet.
Check out the album on Spotify and let me know what you think. One of my favorites on the album is “Stay Awake, Wait for Me.” Truly, it will be hard to identify just one favorite on this album. Glasshouse ends with 3 beautiful, slowed down, acoustic versions of previous tracks on the album. Let me know what yours is in the comments below.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Ms. Ware live in Chicago a few years ago. She is finishing up the last few shows of her US tour. I hope she makes her way to Nashville in 2018 so I can hear this album live. See if she is coming to your city before she heads overseas. Jessie Ware Website
