Originally published at kemptation.com on 17 May 2015. Words by Stephanie Yip

Released 17 May 2015 via BARP Records

20-year-old Brighton lad, Jack Watts is the kind of up-and-coming artist that will floor you the instant his ethereal vox hit your eardrums. Though notably inspired by Jeff Buckley and Radiohead, his sound rather lends itself more toward the acoustic and jazzy sides of Ben Howard, Nina Simone, Justin Nozuka and Damien Rice as beautifully raw and emotionally intense lyrics are stripped from his throat in a hushed melody of brilliance.

His debut EP Red Shortbread might be short, consisting of a mere five tracks (one of which is a cover), but all four originals come delicately crafted and even more delicately executed. And as each song unravels, it becomes disturbingly clear that Watts either has a talent for tearing at our emotions inch by inch, or tearing himself apart inch by inch.

Opener, We Lost It All, rings heavily of motown funk, introducing itself with a series of gentle guitar pluckings and a rasp of vocals before breathing life into a tale of loss and despair.

Push Blue follows. It’s the second single off the EP and a more memorable track to be fair. Still soft in its demeanour, it peaks at just the right moment, writhing in the silent anger that is felt when a relationship goes sour. Its intensity is only heightened when viewing Watts perform the song: the conviction in his face twisting the knife even farther, ever slower.

Title track Red Shortbread rests comfortably in the meaty middle of the EP. Lilting falsetto is ready for redemption as a torn, broken and otherwise vulnerable Watts screams to his love for salvation and aid singing: “Sort me out/ ‘Cos I’ve been broken for too long now/ And I need you more than ever/ I need you tonight.”

In an intriguing chance of pace, Watts uses his EP’s fourth spot to cover Sinatra’s It Was A Very Good Year. His is a jazzy, down tempo rendition that you could imagine being sung in a smokey underground bar full of guys and dolls. Though captivating and sultry, oddly enough it doesn’t quite sit too well in this collection. Lacking Watts’ husky tones, it’s execution is more sentimental than sad and never quite hits the heart in a record otherwise saturated in emotion.

All is forgiven however with Watts’ final song. Named One Last Kiss, it’s again a change of pace, that comes complete with an up tempo beat, electric guitar and rock edge. But what sets it apart from its predecessor is that it utilises those stunning rasped vocals that we’ve grown so familiar with these past 20 or so minutes, making it feel just right. Couple that with a glowing sense of conviction as Watts begs for “one last kiss” before saying goodbye and the EP is complete.

It’s goodbye for now, but doubtfully not forever. Because if this is the kind of emotional rollercoaster a 20 year old Jack Watts can deliver in just four songs, one can only imagine what’s in store for us when he’s ready to deliver a full-length album.