Jimi Goodwin - Odludek

With Doves on hiatus since 2010, Odludek – Polish for ‘pilgrim’ or ‘loner’ – is frontman Jimi Goodwin’s solo debut. Although pals like Elbow’s Guy Garvey and Dungen’s Fredrik Bjorling co-wrote a couple of songs, for the most part it truly is a solo affair. Recorded over 18 months in a friend’s studio in The Forest of Dean, and co-produced with Dan Austin (Kingdom of Rust), Goodwin played almost all of the instruments himself.

His goal was a “mixtape sounding” album, a collection of songs that would be “a reflection of how I schizophrenically devour music.” He’s definitely succeeded with these 10 eclectic tracks, a blend of hard electronica, rootsy Americana, rock, dance and, briefly, swing.

The first few tracks, from ominously rocky opener ‘Terracotta Warrior’ to the electronic ‘Live Like A River’ could be old Depeche Mode outtakes. They are quickly followed by the gospel tinged ‘Hope’ (which, come to think, could be a newer Mode outtake). The frenetic ‘Man V Dingo’, meanwhile, features a jazzy brass section and a wonderfully delivered vocal that “rages against the dying of your light.”

‘Keep My Soul In Song’ is a gorgeously tender ballad. Opening with an acoustic guitar and harmonica, ‘Oh! Whiskey’ is probably the most straightforward tune on the album: “Oh whiskey give me patience/ Oh whiskey give me truth/ Oh whiskey give me empathy/ Just don’t give me the blues.” It’s no accident it’s followed by the lush ‘Ghost of the Empties’.

With Odludek, Goodwin has delivered a deeply textured and multi-layered record that reveals something new on every listen. His fellow Doves should pay close attention: a successful solo career could well beckon.