The youth of today are too often subjected to “rubbish” music, Hackney born, Irish bred Maverick Sabre once said. He went on to say that in the Top 20 chart “no-one seems to be talking about the issues that people go through on a daily basis anymore.” A bold statement – but one he challenges with his own debut album, Lonely Are The Brave.
The crooner catapulted into our hearts and onto our radars almost without prior warning, when he unleashed his debut single “Let Me Go” onto the world. Steadily gaining new fan while forever pleasing the old, on the journey to the release of his debut album, the project soared to the top of the iTunes chart on the first day of its release – and sat comfortably.
In the face of his argument that top 20 selling artists don’t tend to talk about actual issues that affect people on a daily basis, Maverick ensures to tap into genuine human emotions, with an unedited, uncensored honesty that is supremely refreshing. Songs discussing love found, love lost, regret, unfaithful partners and the search for happiness are a staple on the 17-track project.
One of the stand out tracks on the album is “Shooting Stars,” in which Maverick unleashes opinionated lyrics (“lock you away for nothing / blood on the streets…”) about the treatment he and his friends have seen in the face of police brutality.
Maverick seems endowed with an ability to pull at heartstrings with his haunting, vintage sounding soulful voice; utilized particularly well on tracks the likes of nostalgia-breeding cut “Used To Have It All.”
Perhaps – and hopefully – for all these reasons, Maverick Sabre will be able to put up a good fight against the short attention span of the average human being has these days. A feat that very few manage, but some manage to keep grasp of, even beyond the grave. Sabre’s unique voice has drawn several comparisons to that of the late, great, Amy Winehouse; a compliment that can be acknowledged within minutes of hearing his haunting voice.
The timeliness of the album is further ensured by the fact that Lonely Are The Brave is a critique on todays society and as such is rooted in it. From questioning police brutality to our materialistic society in “Open Your Eyes” [“It seems like your salary is more important than your sanity / And much important than your mentality”], Sabre brutally and honestly puts into words things we are all affected by and often don’t bat an eyelash at.
Lonely Are The Brave transcends genre boundaries, bringing all the elements of jazz-like hip hop, urban street lyrics and suspense filled riffs (particularly on “Cold Game”), before bringing the pot to the boil. In summation, I would proudly play this to my father – in the face of his complaints at today’s music – and stand tall in the knowledge that my generation has generated something like this.
Maverick Sabre – Lonely Are The Brave
Released: February 6, 2012
Label: Mercury
Buy: iTunes UK / Amazon UK