Joel Sarakula – ‘The Golden Age’

Joel Sarakula is a singer/songwriter, originating from Sydney but currently residing in the UK. They released album ‘The Golden Age’, in March 2013.

The London based band fall under the indie genre, with piano and pop incarcerations. This modernises the music, whilst producing the retro feel typical of the 80’s and 90’s. The song ‘Bohemian’ is suggestive of this, with the title resonating lifestyles of years gone by.

Lyrically, his melodies are well-written, yet simple. This deviates away from the norm of songwriters, who are sometimes known to overcomplicate lyrics in order to display poetic prowess. Similarly, the background music sticks to easygoing yet repetitive riffs, with the occasional flare of the electric guitar. It makes the tunes sympathetic on the ears, at the risk of losing diversity.

‘Matchstick Girl’ and ‘The Lows’ stand out as tracks which show Joel Sarakula’s musical talent. Certain songs, such as ‘Who’s Gonna Love You Now’, fail to the hit the mark; simply sounding too similar to previous tracks. Overall, the album is a pleasant listen. If you feel like kicking back and switching off for an hour, not many fit that purpose better than ‘The Golden Age’. 7.8/10
Jamie Morrell