Her Soldier Boy is the sad story of 17-year-old boy who goes off to fight in the Napoleonic wars. His sweetheart waits patiently for him to return wearing her mother's wedding coat and ribbons in her hair. He fights bravely, the war is won and he returns a wounded hero but dies one year later. The woman vows not to be alone: "A life of loneliness is not for me".
A tale that should be touching and poignant is rendered with a neutrality bordering on disinterest. The key detail that the soldier boy "lasted less than one year" upon his return carries no particular weight as if this were a minor detail. As a result the song is merely pretty and is not helped by a prog-rock style guitar solo in the middle. An instrumental version of this tune seems a superfluous addition to the EP since this is a song in which the words are all.
John Jenkins is a Liverpool born singer songwriter who is accompanied by Vanessa Murray on vocals, Amy Chalmers on violin, Helen Maker on accordion and Jon Lawton guitars and drums.
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The title tune of the EP is also the leading track from his album, Trains. The other three story songs are not on the album. The broad theme is separation.
Playing With Fire is about a marital break but you don't get the impression that the wayward husband is particularly mortified. "I've only just met her" is his lame defence after his wife finds out he has given into the "temptation" of a bit on the side.
The cool, dispassionate tone of these, and the other two songs, I Miss You and What It All Means means any emotional substance that might draw in a listener is sorely lacking.
John Jenkins' website
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