Single review – Jools, How Can Some Experience What Pride Is Without Liberation For All

Released date 18/09/20

Reviewed by Imogen Cresswell

“Picture this, picture this, photo finished”

Loud and proud Leicester six-piece Jools stormed the music industry and once more released a banging new single designed to shake the world of people who are passionate about politics and the wellbeing of those who are oppressed. This single, titled How Can Some Experience What Pride Is Without Liberation For All, has already given Jools many achievements in just weeks and is solid proof that a burning heart that speaks its mind can go much further than anyone could have hoped for. Even before its release, it had been marked BBC Radio One’s track of the week, and also broadcasted on Kerrang! Radio. In addition to this, Jools were also granted the status of ‘artist of the week’ by Kerrang! Radio, which can definitely justify why this track is just so good. 

The first taste of How Can Some Experience What Pride Is Without Liberation For All begins with an unusual and quite unique melodic glitching sound. You wonder what on earth could make such an energetic noise, but this is no stranger to Jools. Adapting their guitars, finding the right noise using very specific guitar pedals, shows exactly the kind of precision and accuracy Jools put into their work for their listeners and their own selves. The energy produced by their sounds alone is a perfect match to their punk and political fashion, in which not a single second is wasted with silence. The vocals undoubtedly carry the most intense meaning in the track. The lyrics flow so clearly like poetry, speaking so strongly like in a protest. The power behind the lyrics “picture this, picture this, photo finished”, that are heard in the chorus, removes us from the protest and in its place brings a riot in which the strong, powerful vocals and the relentless screams of the instruments collide as one massive force. 

Jools at The Cookie, Leicester, 20/07/19. Photo by Kevin Gaughan

The meaning behind this song is fairly obvious, and Jools have expressed it well. Jools formulates this politically surged fight against a divided country in order to prove the country does not need to represent a proud, patriotic nation, but a home for everyone and a place of belonging, regardless of labels and identity. How Can Some Experience What Pride Is Without Liberation For All is a track in which the meaning is entirely in its name; you cannot feel pride without the liberation of others.

It is time to contribute to a decaying society and provide freedoms to those who need liberating. 

The track follows a very easy structure, which is perfect for when you want to get straight to the point. Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus keeps a good flow and maintains a solid idea on what the track is about. The chorus, simply “picture this, picture this, photo finished”, is repeated over and over again. This holds a simple foundation and a relief factor for when the protracted poetic verses come in. This is a really good recipe to follow and Jools managed to make a treat with it. How Can Some Experience What Pride Is Without Liberation For All shares elements from Fontaines D.C’s track Big. The discussion of improving a lifestyle over upbeat guitars and drums can be appreciated tremendously, especially with Jools’ adaptation of it. Jools also take a lot of inspiration from the band Idles, in which they both share a passion for hardcore punk and putting things right in the world, whilst expressing this through loud, crunchy tones and enormous atmosphere. 

Jools have the ability to take an issue in the world and mould their emotions and talents into a device that can be used to teach thousands of people what they can do to correct it. Since the release of How Can Some Experience What Pride Is Without Liberation For All, Jools have received a lot of media attention and additions to popular Spotify playlists. Usually, I would say that they are going to go far in life, but it already seems that they are halfway there if not further.

Who knows what Jools can achieve- we can only wait and see. 

You can stream How Can Some Experience What Pride Is Without Liberation For All here. You can also buy the single for £1, in which ALL donations will be put towards Stonewall UK charity.

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