After enduring a tumultuous personal journey, Jack Garratt emerges with Pillars, an album that poignantly navigates the complex landscapes of love and loss. The emotional heart of the record pulsates with clarity and strength, effectively showcasing Garratt’s evolution as an artist. While this project features moments of genuine brilliance, it ultimately grapples with maintaining a cohesive identity, resulting in a somewhat uneven listening experience.
The album truly shines when Garratt embraces the quieter, more intimate facets of his songwriting. A prime example is “Manifest/It’ll All Be Alright in the End,” a track that resonates as if it were a heartfelt voice memo, beautifully enhanced by ethereal soundscapes and a minimalist piano arrangement. This tender fusion of vocals and keys consistently stands out, and Garratt’s vocal execution throughout the album is nothing short of exceptional, ranging from vulnerable solo passages to soaring gospel harmonies. His adventurous spirit is also evident in tracks like “Ready! Steady! Go!,” which injects a vibrant dose of ’70s funk, and “Love Myself Again,” where soulful melodies seamlessly intertwine with intricate electronic production.
However, the ambitious scope of the album-striving to balance intimacy with expansiveness, occasionally falters. More straightforward pop anthems such as “Catherine Wheel” and “Shaftesbury Avenue” feel somewhat misplaced amid the record’s richer, more nuanced offerings. The “wall of sound” approach that propels the choruses in these tracks, unfortunately, obscures the delicate details and emotional resonance that flourish elsewhere on the album. While Garratt’s unwavering honesty about his internal struggles is commendable, the lack of a clear, unifying vision ultimately prevents the album from achieving its full potential.