Cheyenne Jackson ~ Renaissance

Buy Renaissance here (Amazon UK)
Read my review of I'm Blue, Skies here

Since I last wrote about actor-singer-dancer-all round good egg Cheyenne Jackson (see above) he's been a busy fella. He made season 5 of American Horror Story (along with Matt Bomer) impossibly good looking; he did an exhilarating live album version of classic musical West Side Story; and premiered his concert series Cocktail Hour: Music Of The "Mad Men" Era. It's the latter project that has inspired his stirring new album, Renaissance. For me, the most enduring music has been that which focuses on universal lyrics, strong melody, memorable refrains and a healthy dose of emotion that makes it all the more real for the listener. The creation of these style of songs makes them strong enough to last through the ages, and robust enough to be re-examined by the artists they inspire. That is exactly what Cheyenne Jackson has done with the classic sounds on Renaissance. In a world where pop charts are dominated by faceless beats and fleeting fads (and then cookie cutter replicas of the same sound, because often success breeds fear of trying anything different), he is making the old new again. He does this through his soaring vocals, expressive singing and lush new arrangements that find new meaning in words we've grown to love. He's a master story teller, an engaging raconteur who has an easy ability to infuse his own experiences into the songs. It's a compelling body of work from start to end - here are some humble thoughts on each track...

• Feeling Good ~ an excellent way to open the album. The initial moments of Cheyenne's powerful singing are accompanied only by elegant strings, allowing his voice to embody all the celebratory joy that the lyrics contain. As he sings the title of the song for the first time, effusive horns, dancing piano and vibrant percussion all add to the texture of the song to euphoric effect. He adds a confident swagger to the music without ever being arrogant; it's perfectly pitched , washing over you like the cool tide on the sizzling beach on a hot summer day...
• Americano ~ it's straight from the oozing sex appeal of Feeling Good and right into the finger clicking glee of Americano, a song that has shimmy, shake and finger clicking exuberance baked right into the core. Cheyenne's grooving and a-growling with a knowing prowess that demonstrates how he has saturated himself in this music to become a symbiotic partner. It's worth noting here (as much as anywhere else on the album) that he really allows the arrangements to breathe and be an equal duet partner. Here, you'll be dancing round the room with unabashed joy before the song is through...
• Angel Eyes ~ a change of pace on this languid, languorous romantic ballad. Cheyenne is quite the crooner and conjures up images of a smoky jazz bar, thanks to the lilting piano and the harmonising trio of Michael Winther, Paul Castree and Jason Pintar. What those guys can do with their voices is more seductive than any harlequin romance novel and doubly effective. They create quite the heatwave, whatever the weather outside and that, my red blooded friends, is pure musical alchemy of the highest order. Gorgeous...
• Besame Mucho ~ this is not only a love letter wrapped in musical form, it's a love letter to the era the song was written. Truly, songs like this are rare in any era but all the more so today. Cheyenne's lower register is so exquisitely tonal and passionate that it is as if you are living the poetic words through him. Bold percussion and the perfectly tempered orchestra fill in every second with a poignant nobility. The drama in the key change only serves to accentuate the longing that the whole song is built around. It would be very hard for the recipient of this note to say no, that's for certain...
• Something Stupid ~ I've long loved this song, mostly because my parents would sing it to each other (and still do 54 years into their marriage). I adore Jane Krakowski (if you haven't heard her Tweet song, go seek it out RIGHT NOW) and she's the most charming partner for Cheyenne to sing alongside. They both have an impish nonchalance that masks the true feelings and it's a brilliantly orchestrated vocal dance between the two (and it's not an easy song to sing). There's a laissez faire to the proceedings that is just right - the song, after all, is about the tingling electricity and non-complicated nature of dating before the love makes it something much more complicated (and meaningful). Too much or too little of this and you end up not caring; not so here - I just want these two crazy kids to work it out...
• I (Who Have Nothing) ~ The opening of this song turns it into the most triumphant Bond theme that has yet to exist. That vibe exists throughout this magnificent arrangement, the sentiments of the song heightened as Cheyenne crescendos his performance as the song progresses. He is reflective and pensive as the song begins, only to be fueled by his own passion and the dynamic instrumental. This is the midway point of the album - and, if this were a theatrical show, would also be the rousing conclusion to Act One. The campaign to get Matt Bomer as the next James Bond with Cheyenne singing the theme tune starts here!
• A Case Of You ~ Act Two opens with a more stripped back rendition of this Joni Mitchell gem. Set to an elegiac piano, Cheyenne gives us an exploration of his memories, his regrets and his wishes for a better tomorrow. It's absolute proof that there are times you don't need to belt a song out to the rafters. The quiet introspection speaks louder than any volume uplift ever could. The middle 8 of just the piano is just heaven...
• Walking My Baby Back Home ~ the vocal trio from Angel Eyes make a welcome return and ensure that this song is the reincarnation of the great musical moments from the glamorous 40s and 50s MGM movies. They give barbershop quartet realness, the voices intertwined like cotton candy wrapped around a stick. It exudes the innocence of simpler times that actually seems refreshing in a world dominated by selfies, twerking and 50 Shades of Grey - and perhaps this is the most important message that Renaissance has to offer: good music, good times and good people will always be all you need in life.
• Red Wine Is Good For My Heart ~ it's a daring choice, to slip in a self penned (with Michael Feinstein) number alongside such indelible music selections. It works splendidly, however. Once again it's just Cheyenne and that euphonious piano. He's clearly learned from the masters because this is a study in melancholy sophistication built around yearning lyrics and unforgettable melody. Sung with a tenderness that's almost tangible, it tugs at your heartstrings and you marvel at how Mr Jackson makes it feel like this song has been in your life for years. Stunning.
• A Song For You ~ Graceful propriety is how Cheyenne tackles the opening to this song, the extended introduction flowing with a gentility that really lets you focus on the heartfelt words that are being sung. It's pretty much a description for the album, a labour of love that sparkles with sumptuous grandeur from beginning to end. The slow, pained plea for forgiveness and understanding is delivered with an anguished denouement - you'll need a hug by the end of the song. It makes you feel and remember - Cheyenne sings not because singing will fix everything but because it's too painful not too. In his pain, we find our salvation and for that we should all be grateful...
• A Change Is Gonna Come ~ this rallying, dignified call to arms remains as timely today as it was when it was first written. Cheyenne gives the song the soul it deserves and the hopeful longing it demands. When you wake up to a world filled with news of "20 minutes of action", mass shootings in Florida and football hooliganism in Europe it's easy to get despondent. Don't. This new version of such an important song in history reminds us that we have made massive steps forward but that complacency is our biggest enemy. Play the original, play this, play often. And do something about it. This song is just the motivation you need.
• Your Song ~ and thus the album comes to an end. It's been the most incredible journey and Cheyenne ends on a high note. He does this by seemingly taking every lesson he's taught across the album and wrapping it up in one, final jaw dropping performance. There's the solemn restraint, the powerful passion, the creative arrangements - and a total reverence for the source material that electrifies every moment of this song, and of the album. This is a man in love with the music, in love with his craft - we are the lucky ones for being able to share in his gift.