SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HOWARD JONES – PIANO COMPOSED IVORY & PIANO COMPOSED SPIRIO

HOWARD JONES
PIANO COMPOSED IVORY & PIANO COMPOSED SPIRIO
CHERRY RED RECORDS

Howard Jones never really does what you would expect him to do. He has returned to classical music with the Piano Composed albums, one called Ivory and the other called Spirio, although they contain the same songs, but very different albums. While the project is a piano-based instrumental album, it is traditional classical music, in the same way that Billy Joel’s, Joe Jackson’s or Paul McCartney’s excursions into that genre were. This is an interesting release, his first since the electronic trilogy, which ended with Dialogue in 2022. Since his debut album over 40 years ago, Jones has had numerous synth pop hits and has released acoustic albums, remix albums, and classical albums.

Unlike traditional classical music, these are shorter, very melodic pieces that create a peaceful and almost meditative listening experience. On these two albums, Jones goes acoustic and instrumental. Piano Composed Ivory has individual pieces, which were written on his Steinway D piano, whereas Piano Composed Spirio features the same songs but reimagined and recorded on his new Steinway Spirio. It is a different version of the Ivory album. But the new piano allowed Jones to use different techniques and arrangements.

Some of the songs are very playful, such as the delightful “Everything Is Connected”, which just cannot help but put a big smile on your face. Other songs, such as “Winter Always Turns To Spring” has a melancholic, yet hopeful flavour to it. It is emotional and quite moving. And then there is “It’s Great To See You Smile Again”, which has definite blues and honky tonk influences and would not have sounded out of place in a Warner Brother’s western from the 1940s. It is a truly brilliant song.

“Five Pianos” is one piece that is very close to classical. It could be stretched out into a complete classical piece. As is “It’s In Your Hands”. Both songs have more of a classical feeling and are welcome additions to the album. Each song is sequenced in such a way that it creates an arching musical story. Even when the order is rearranged, the flow and sequencing is brilliant. Jones creates a peaceful and calming album. It is full of beauty and this is something the world needs right now. Howard Jones has delivered a masterpiece of music.

Jones has always embraced piano, for example one of his earliest hits, “No One Is To Blame” flew in the face of other electronic music at the time. And as noted, Piano Composed is his third release with this genre of music and style. Jones approaches it with ease and sounds like he has been creating this music for his entire career. But then, this is how all of Jones releases sound. He is a talented, creative, and an artist who is not content to continually repeat himself, rather the opposite.

It really doesn’t matter which version of the album you buy, they are both similar but different. And they are both brilliant albums.

SPILL FEATURE: WHEN EVERY NOTE GOES UNDER THE MICROSCOPE – A CONVERSATION WITH HOWARD JONES

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