Jack in Water - “Strangely Gone”

Essex-based singer-songwriter William Clapson, aka Jack in Water, has recently released a new album, Strangely Gone, which includes eight delightfully stripped-back, heartfelt tunes. From this collection of music, we have decided to share with you the title track in all of its endearing, emotionally-charged glory.

“Strangely Gone” begins with some raw-as-all-hell acoustic guitar that sounds as though Clapson is performing right in front of you– one of our favorite aspects of any good folk song. Moments later, some round notes from the bass arrive, providing a thickness to the arrangement before the melodic keys of a piano make an appearance. And in just the first ten seconds, the track is already shaping up to be a fantastic and intimate means of escaping the mundanity of everyday existence.

Once Clapson’s vocal arrives, you will understand why we had to feature “Strangely Gone” on the blog, for he has been blessed with one of the most engaging and wonderful voices that we’ve heard in quite some time. His style and tone are truly unique, but we are very confident that, upon listening, fans of Keaton Hensen and Roo Panes will immediately add a new artist to their roster of folksy favorites. It is the kind of voice that instantly captures the interest of everyone within earshot and we have not been able to stop listening all weekend.

And while listeners will spend the majority of the track’s duration completely entranced by this raw and intimate delivery, vibing with the multiple layers of vocals that expertly widen the production, the full band crescendo that occurs near the song’s end will completely blow your mind. We feel terrible for spoiling the surprise, but once the drums fall into place, we are immediately taken back to the time when we first discovered Elliott Smith’s “King’s Crossing.” And we are suddenly flooded with the hope that others will hear “Strangely Gone” and welcome it as part of the soundtrack to who they hope to be one day.

-HD