Choice Music Awards winner '09

JAPE

Ritual

Angela Macari O’Looney

Formerly a member of Black Belt Jones, also once bassist in The Redneck Manifesto, Richie Egar has travelled quite a long road to get to where he is now!
A seasoned performer, whose songs have been covered by prominent bands such as The Raconteurs in their live shows, Egar’s sound has finally reached an audience who have welcomed Ritual with open arms, with it’s collection of electronic and acoustic muses, exotica and pleasant sounds throughout!

Jape(Richie’s) first live appearances playing support to his old band The Red Neck Manifesto, gave him a chance to give a taster to audiences, for his debut album Cosmosphere on ‘Volt Sounds Label’.

A second successful album The Monkeys in the Zoo have more Fun than me was released in 2004 under a different label.
Four years on Ritual was released, featuring ten tracks and is a Japanese/Tropical/ electronic Rock trip well worth taking!

Christopher +Anthony

I could be wrong, but this title looks to me like a ‘Jape’ about two popular Saints, both of whom are called upon by people on a regular basis, for what could be deemed very superstitious reasons! Don’t sue me. It’s just a thought!

The intro is a word repeated using sound sampling, a catchy riff playing along with it on keyboards, a hint of guitars and a robotic beat.

The lyrics go on in a disjointed fashion, speaking of the strangeness of beliefs and taboos. At least that’s what I take from it ; Stick religion up your blasphemy, Mr. Richard Christopher Anthony!
Being a person who boogied to Duran Duran, Orchestral manoeuvres in the Dark and Howard Jones in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, this music is resurrected in my mind when I hear the simplistic, but cheerful melody of the chorus. It starts with a dramatic verse with lots of minor chords, a fab baseline and drums creating a staccato beat. This song is quite memorable, with a catchy pattern on keyboards framing the sweet chorus. I really love this song and feel I’ll be singing along whenever I hear it!

I was a man

Performed in the Choice music awards final, this number has a brilliant beat!
The balance is gorgeous with a thumping baseline, electronic drumbeats and a smartass riff going on throughout. It’s stompin’ and has a marvellous action packed synth - infused break. A big shhhhhhsh resounds in the midst of the lively instrumental.
The lyrics are enjoyable and as in all of Jape’s songs, are tongue in cheek and witty!
This easy going type music is pretty addictive!

Replays

With a jazzy and busy electro intro, this number has fun lyrics. It has this ‘I’m too sexy for my hat’ sentiment going on. But despite a bunch of amusing statements about the length of his you know what and his prowess on the dance floor etc., it has a lovely melody line with Richie using his own voice re-recorded for the backing vocals, doing a refrain.


Graveyard

I heard Richie describe the story behind this number when interviewed at the awards. It’s based on an experience, in a Jewish cemetery off the South Circular Rd. My heart lurched when I heard his anecdote, since I grew up less than a mile away from the self same place. I think lots of kids must have snuck in there, from around them parts. But the significance of it already got me listening a little harder to it nevertheless!
Now of course apart from the next track, it is my favourite number on Ritual. After hearing the tale behind the tale and after hearing the wonderful seductive melody, the spurts of sweet lead guitar with sliding riffs and the gorgeous guitar that plays the chorus; I kissed you in the graveyard alongside Richie’s simple choppy refrain, any scepticism I may have had about yet another guy on a synth trying to be different, has disappeared!

Phil Lynott

This is a story about friends who go outside at a gig, to watch the Lunar Eclipse. It’s a little bit monotonous melody wise, with a pretty boring beat!
However, the story is lovely and is a tribute to Thin Lizzy and the celebrated lead vocalist and bassist!
It’s a thing that gives people from the Crumlin/ Clogher Road and South Circular road areas some real pride. We had such historical figures such as Phil Lynott, Luke Kelly and Brendan Behan right on our doorsteps!
I know I once spotted the tall, dark, big haired gentleman (Lynott) when I was a kid hanging around the canal, as he walked along the pavement at Sally’s Bridge. Me and my mates just stood gob smacked!
Richie touches yet another nerve here for me with the beautiful lines; And now right in the sky, was his half opened eye. He’s still winking at girls in the front row.
The last lines are really poetic and touching; And I was thinking – I’ll raise a whiskey up/And I was thinking –one day I will be a dead man who plays the bass from Crumlin. A dead man who plays the bass from Dublin!
Streetwise

This number is space aged with close harmonies brilliantly achieved, using God knows what kind of pre programmed synthesised stuff, a totally fire packed beat and a great tune!
The funky beat and bassy quirks and twists make me smile. The lyrics are fantastic, with Richie describing that craziness that makes youths do inexplicable things. Then they laugh about it later on in life!
There’s a sad sentiment about how his old school (the one they set on fire) is now apartments. I knew that school well. Walking around the area or even driving past always brings a tear to my eye, with the way our old haunts and hangouts were just wiped out by progress!
The chorus has a stop start quality and actually changes to a boogie woogie beat at one stage. Then he creates big orchestral sounds to take it up to a huge crescendo. Wow!

At the heart of all of this strangeness

Plucked classical style guitar chords and a wonderful tempo make this slow number absolutely beautiful!
No complicated keyboards or sampling here but just pure music, performed by Richie singing the moving vocals and the wonderful acoustic guitar (Jon Green) throughout. Richie has a nice voice!
Words of wisdom and wonderful descriptions give this track seriousness after the funny and sometimes touching anecdotes thus far on the album!
My favourite sentence is You’re not a wave you’re part of an ocean and you’ll break without a fuss or any commotion!

Apple in an Orchard

Performed in his set at the Choice awards, this Post New Wave number is exciting and has a fabulous beat, with scintillating synth and energetic flanger-laden choppy chords in the intro.
The chorus is simple with lots of backing vocals, a catchy melody line and a sweet lead guitar solo; a welcome change that lends to a refreshingly different style from other tracks!

Strike me Down

Richie’s triumphal number at the Choice awards, this has a catchy chorus with extra synths programmed by David Kitt.
It starts off with a quiet riff, bursting into a fast beat a la Ross Turner and explosive synth chords. Fluently sung lines of lyric are sung, with powerful guitars infusing a touch of rock into things. I especially enjoy the delightful solo just before the last chorus!

Nothing lasts forever

I love the riff that’s played throughout this song! The sound sampling in the intro makes it seem like there’s a fault in the c.d. The whole piece is mainly synth and space age electro notes, but Richie’s vocals are sweet and the chorus is catchy!
It really takes me back to Howard Jones, O.M.D. and the sounds of yesteryear. The middle eight is gorgeous with interesting lyrics; And you’ll never get to heaven with a thought like that/ All the people at the funeral too embarrassed to laugh/Because the burial’s tomorrow but it’s still today/I’ll be drowning all my sorrows but they drowned yesterday.
For imagination and wit, I give this guy top marks. For musicianship and something just that little bit different from the rest, I think he deserves the prize that he was awarded and it’s a proud concept, that a geezer from my own old neighbourhood could stop the judges in their tracks, as he did me with this stimulating and brilliant collection of music.