Johnny Hates Jazz impresses with “Magnetized”

It is hard to imagine that 25 years have passed since the release of one of the greatest pop albums of the 80s – “Turn Back The Clock” by Johnny Hates Jazz. Time has not yet eroded the shimmer of sophistication that radiates through every track on that album – especially on the album’s breakout hits “Shattered Dreams” and “I Don’t Want To Be A Hero“. This was a band poised for bigger things. With lead singer Clark Datchler at the helm of songwriting and production maestros Mike Nocito and Calvin Hayes giving the songs their cloak of timelessness, the band had a winning combination and a “secret sauce” for radio-ready audio magic. Yet, it seemed like the story of the band’s first and commercially successful incarnation ended almost as soon as it began and any future reference to the band was always in the context of the glorious year (for music) of 1988. The lingering question of “what could have been” has undoubtedly drifted through the minds of fans and the band-members. No one could have guessed that this band would have a second chapter – even though that chapter begins after the clock had been turned forward 25 years.

The second chapter of the Johnny Hates Jazz story was heralded by the first play of the band’s new single and album’s title track “Magnetized” on BBC Radio 2  on Feb 22. The question many are bound to ask is – does the song match up to the band’s signature hit “Shattered Dreams“? The answer to that is an emphatic “yes”. The song can be best described as the sonic sequel to the band’s signature hit but by no means is it a lyrical sequel. The song is an invigorating cocktail of Clark Datchler’s smooth vocals, a soaring melodic chorus, a mid-tempo beat, and a layered production with that same glaze of pop brilliance that has allowed the “Turn Back the Clock” album to stand the test of time. The song’s “Middle 8” is nothing short of delectable ear-candy. Clark Datchler’s voice has not aged a day and his knack for songwriting has undoubtedly stayed intact. Mike Nocito might be doing the music industry a huge favor by reminding people what “sophisticated pop” production is. The one aspect of “Magnetized” that is bound to jump out at a listener after a single play of the song is the band’s grasp of melody – something that is sorely lacking in the set of “competencies” of today’s popstars. One listen of the song is all it takes for its infectious chorus to stick in one’s head.

Do we only live, to die
Or is it that our hearts are magnetized
And our worlds collide,
For a reason

Do we only live, to die
Or is it that our hearts are magnetized
Going round and round
Like a season

Johnny Hates Jazz teased their fans with a small snippet of the song two years ago via their facebook fanpage. That snippet was the first indication that the band still had it and that their new album was worth waiting for. Based on “Magnetized”, there is no reason for that notion to change. The band has truly delivered on expectations. The album cannot release soon enough. The scheduled release date for the album is May 6.

Here is the full-length music video of “Magnetized”