RECKLESS JACKS – Single Review: “Fugitive”

London-based Reckless Jacks is the music project of a charismatic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist named Matt, who with his beautiful, distinctive vocal style and a passion for excellence and authenticity in his music, has built a growing and loyal fan base, me included. Born and raised in San Francisco, Matt spent his teenage years in Paris, then moved to London as an adult, where he established his music career, first as a band, and more recently as a solo act where he collaborates with other music producers.

He’s released seven outstanding singles over the past four years or so, my favorite of which is “Guide You in the Dark”, a gorgeous song that I ranked #61 on my Top 100 Songs of 2018 list. On March 5th, he dropped his latest single “Fugitive“, a hauntingly beautiful song about redemption and forgiveness. The song was written by Reckless Jacks with the help of Lawrence Diamond and musician/producers VOAH and Bob Matthews, who also produced the track.

The song starts off moody and introspective in the verses, as Reckless Jacks plaintively sings about both the pain and hurt he’s caused his romantic partner, and the pain she’s now inflicting upon him in return: “You light the fire just to burn me. Like you’re running after some kind of memory. Is this how we’ll always be? In this dark room, same old stories. If there’s love could you show me a little bit of the way we used to be?” The spooky synths, somber keyboards and measured drumbeats convey feelings of emotional fragility and desperation. His vocals turn impassioned and mournful in the choruses, accompanied by music that swells to a pulsating crescendo as he laments about not wanting to be kept in the dark, and pleading for mercy in the hope of reconciliation: “Fugitive, but I don’t wanna hide, hide no more. / Take, take, take me back, take me back in your life.”

It’s both lovely and powerfully moving.

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Top 30 Songs for June 17-23, 2018

1. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (1)
2. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (4)
3. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (2)
4. THIS IS AMERICA – Childish Gambino (3)
5. ZOMBIE – Bad Wolves (7)
6. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (8)
7. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (5)
8. &RUN – Sir Sly (6)
9. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, Unlikely Candidates (10)
10. BROKEN – lovelytheband (9)
11. HUNGER – Florence + the Machine (14)
12. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (13)
13. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (11)
14. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (15)
15. UNWIND – John Defeo (16)
16. DEVIL – Shinedown (12)
17. FOUR OUT OF FIVE – Arctic Monkeys (19)
18. COLORS – Beck (18)
19. SILVER LINING – Mt. Joy (20)
20. LIFE TO FIX – The Record Company (21)
21. FAVORITE COLOR IS BLUE – Robert DeLong, K.Flay (17)
22. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (23)
23. RED MOON SKY – Face of Stone (24)
24. QUARTER PAST MIDNIGHT – Bastille (25)
25. 44 – Oli Barton & the Movement (27)
26. FRACTURED NATION – Future Theory (28)
27. GUIDE YOU IN THE DARK – RECKLESS JACKS (22)
28. DANGEROUS NIGHT – 30 Seconds to Mars (N)
29. KAMIKAZE – WALK THE MOON (N)
30. BLOOM – Troye Sivan (N)

Top 30 Songs for June 10-16, 2018

1. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (4)
2. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (1)
3. THIS IS AMERICA – Childish Gambino (2)
4. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (5)
5. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (3)
6. &RUN – Sir Sly (6)
7. ZOMBIE – Bad Wolves (8)
8. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (9)
9. BROKEN – lovelytheband (7)
10. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, Unlikely Candidates (10)
11. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (11)
12. DEVIL – Shinedown (12)
13. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (13)
14. HUNGER – Florence + the Machine (16)
15. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (14)
16. UNWIND – John Defeo (17)
17. FAVORITE COLOR IS BLUE – Robert Delong, K.Flay (18)
18. COLORS – Beck (19)
19. FOUR OUT OF FIVE – Arctic Monkeys (23)
20. SILVER LINING – Mt. Joy (21)
21. LIFE TO FIX – The Record Company (22)
22. GUIDE YOU IN THE DARK – RECKLESS JACKS (15)
23. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (27)
24. RED MOON SKY – Face of Stone (26)
25. QUARTER PAST MIDNIGHT – Bastille (27)
26. WITHOUT WALLS – Lyia Meta (20)
27. 44 – Oli Barton & the Movement (29)
28. FRACTURED NATION – Future Theory (30)
29. THE JOKE – Brandi Carlile (24)
30. THE NIGHT HAS AN ALIBI – Wons Phreely + the Horses (25)

Top 30 Songs for June 3-9, 2018

1. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (1) 4th week #1
2. THIS IS AMERICA – Childish Gambino (2)
3. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (3)
4. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (5)
5. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (7)
6. &RUN – Sir Sly (4)
7. BROKEN – lovelytheband (6)
8. ZOMBIE – Bad Wolves (9)
9. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (10)
10. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, Unlikely Candidates (11)
11. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (8)
12. DEVIL – Shinedown (15)
13. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (14)
14. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (16)
15. GUIDE YOU IN THE DARK – RECKLESS JACKS (13)
16. HUNGER – Florence + the Machine (26)
17. UNWIND – John Defeo (19)
18. FAVORITE COLOR IS BLUE – Robert DeLong, K.Flay (20)
19. COLORS – Beck (22)
20. WITHOUT WALLS – Lyia Meta (18)
21. SILVER LINING – Mt. Joy (24)
22. LIFE TO FIX – The Record Company (25)
23. FOUR OUT OF FIVE – Arctic Monkeys (29)
24. THE JOKE – Brandi Carlile (12)
25. THE NIGHT HAS AN ALIBI – Wons Phreely + the Horses (17)
26. RED MOON SKY – Face of Stone (28)
27. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (RE)
28. QUARTER PAST MIDNIGHT – Bastille (30)
29. 44 – Oli Barton & the Movement (N)
30. FRACTURED NATION – Future Theory (N)

Top 30 Songs for May 27-June 2, 2018

1. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (1)
2. THIS IS AMERICA – Childish Gambino (2)
3. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (4)
4. &RUN – Sir Sly (5)
5. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (6)
6. BROKEN – lovelytheband (3)
7. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (9)
8. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (8)
9. ZOMBIE – Bad Wolves (14)
10. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (11)
11. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, The Unlikely Candidates (13)
12. THE JOKE – Brandi Carlile (7)
13. GUIDE YOU IN THE DARK – RECKLESS JACKS (10)
14. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (16)
15. DEVIL – Shinedown (17)
16. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (18)
17. THE NIGHT HAS AN ALIBI – Wons Phreely + the Horses (12)
18. WITHOUT WALLS – Lyia Meta (19)
19. UNWIND – John Defeo (20)
20. FAVORITE COLOR IS BLUE – Robert DeLong, K.Flay (24)
21. SORRY – Nothing But Thieves (15)
22. COLORS – Beck (25)
23. SATURDAY SUN – Vance Joy (21)
24. SILVER LINING – Mt. Joy (26)
25. LIFE TO FIX – The Record Company (28)
26. HUNGER – Florence + the Machine (29)
27. YOU WORRY ME – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (22)
28. RED MOON SKY – Face of Stone (30)
29. FOUR OUT OF FIVE – Arctic Monkeys (N)
30. QUARTER PAST MIDNIGHT – Bastille (N)

Top 30 Songs for May 20-26, 2018

James Bay’s fantastic single “Pink Lemonade” is #1 for a second week, and Childish Gambino’s brilliant and provocative “This is America”  jumps to #2 in just its second week on the chart. Bad Wolves’ remake of The Cranberries’ powerful protest song “Zombie” – which resonates more than ever today – leaps 10 spots to #14. Florence + The Machine are back with a great new single “Hunger,” which debuts at #29, and three other songs debut as well: “Silver Lining” by Mt. Joy, “Life to Fix” by The Record Company, and “Red Moon Sky” by Face of Stone.

1. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (1)
2. THIS IS AMERICA – Childish Gambino (8)
3. BROKEN – lovelytheband (3)
4. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (4)
5. &RUN – Sir Sly (5)
6. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (7)
7. THE JOKE – Brandi Carlile (2)
8. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (6)
9. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (10)
10. GUIDE YOU IN THE DARK – RECKLESS JACKS (11)
11. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (12)
12. THE NIGHT HAS AN ALIBI – Wons Phreely + the Horses (9)
13. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, The Unlikely Candidates (18)
14. ZOMBIE – Bad Wolves (24)
15. SORRY – Nothing But Thieves (16)
16. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (17)
17. DEVIL – Shinedown (19)
18. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (21)
19. WITHOUT WALLS – Lyia Meta (20)
20. UNWIND – John Defeo (23)
21. SATURDAY SUN – Vance Joy (13)
22. YOU WORRY ME – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (14)
23. IRREVERSIBLE KNOT – DENSE (15)
24. FAVORITE COLOR IS BLUE – Robert DeLong, K.Flay (26)
25. COLORS – Beck (29)
26. SILVER LINING – Mt. Joy (N)
27. DOUBT – Joywave (22)
28. LIFE TO FIX – The Record Company (N)
29. HUNGER – Florence + The Machine (N)
30. RED MOON SKY – Face of Stone (N)

Top 30 Songs for May 13-19, 2018

1. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (2)
2. THE JOKE – Brandi Carlile (1)
3. BROKEN – lovelytheband (3)
4. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (6)
5. &RUN – Sir Sly (5)
6. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (4)
7. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (8)
8. THIS IS AMERICA – Childish Gambino (N)
9. THE NIGHT HAS AN ALIBI – Wons Phreely + the Horses (7)
10. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (12)
11. GUIDE YOU IN THE DARK – RECKLESS JACKS (11)
12. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (10)
13. SATURDAY SUN – Vance Joy (14)
14. YOU WORRY ME – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (9)
15. IRREVERSIBLE KNOT – DENSE (15)
16. SORRY – Nothing But Thieves (18)
17. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (19)
18. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, The Unlikely Candidates (21)
19. DEVIL – Shinedown (23)
20. WITHOUT WALLS – Lyia Meta (22)
21. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (26)
22. DOUBT – Joywave (24)
23. UNWIND – John Defeo (25)
24. ZOMBIE – Bad Wolves (N)
25. ALREADY GONE – Brett Dennen (13)
26. FAVORITE COLOR IS BLUE – Robert DeLong, K.Flay (28)
27. THE GOLD – Manchester Orchestra (16)
28. SEVERED – The Decemberists (17)
29. COLORS – Beck (N)
30. WORLD GONE MAD – Bastille (20)

Top 30 Songs for May 6-12, 2018

1. THE JOKE – Brandi Carlile (2)
2. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (3)
3. BROKEN – lovelytheband (1)
4. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (4)
5. &RUN – Sir Sly (6)
6. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (7)
7. THE NIGHT HAS AN ALIBI – Wons Phreely + the Horses (8)
8. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (9)
9. YOU WORRY ME – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (5)
10. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (11)
11. GUIDE YOU IN THE DARK – RECKLESS JACKS (15)
12. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (17)
13. ALREADY GONE – Brett Dennen (14)
14. SATURDAY SUN – Vance Joy (16)
15. IRREVERSIBLE KNOT – DENSE (18)
16. THE GOLD – Manchester Orchestra (13)
17. SEVERED – The Decemberists (12)
18. SORRY – Nothing But Thieves (22)
19. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (23)
20. WORLD GONE MAD – Bastille (10)
21. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, The Unlikely Candidates (27)
22. WITHOUT WALLS – Lyia Meta (24)
23. DEVIL – Shinedown (25)
24. DOUBT – Joywave (26)
25. UNWIND – John Defeo (28)
26. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (30)
27. MY MY MY! – Troye Sivan (19)
28. FAVORITE COLOR IS BLUE – Robert DeLong, K.Flay (N)
29. TWO HIGH – Moon Taxi (20)
30. ALL THE STARS – Kendrick Lamar, SZA (21)

Top 30 Songs for April 29-May 5, 2018

1. BROKEN – lovelytheband (1)
2. THE JOKE – Brandi Carlile (3)
3. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (5)
4. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (2)
5. YOU WORRY ME – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (6)
6. &RUN – Sir Sly (7)
7. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (8)
8. THE NIGHT HAS AN ALIBI – Wons Phreely + the Horses (10)
9. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (12)
10. WORLD GONE MAD – Bastille (4)
11. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (13)
12. SEVERED – The Decemberists (9)
13. THE GOLD – Manchester Orchestra (14)
14. ALREADY GONE – Brett Dennen (16)
15. GUIDE YOU IN THE DARK – RECKLESS JACKS (17)
16. SATURDAY SUN – Vance Joy (18)
17. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (23)
18. IRREVERSIBLE KNOT – DENSE (20)
19. MY MY MY! – Troye Sivan (19)
20. TWO HIGH – Moon Taxi (11)
21. ALL THE STARS – Kendrick Lamar, SZA (15)
22. SORRY – Nothing But Thieves (25)
23. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (27)
24. WITHOUT WALLS – Lyia Meta (26)
25. DEVIL – Shinedown (28)
26. DOUBT – Joywave (29)
27. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, The Unlikely Candidates (N)
28. UNWIND – John Defeo (30)
29. SAFARI SONG – Greta Van Fleet (21)
30. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (N)

Top 30 Songs for April 22-28, 2018

1. BROKEN – lovelytheband (1)
2. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (3)
3. THE JOKE – Brandi Carlile (6)
4. WORLD GONE MAD – Bastille (2)
5. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (12)
6. YOU WORRY ME – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (5)
7. &RUN – Sir Sly (7)
8. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (10)
9. SEVERED – The Decemberists (8)
10. THE NIGHT HAS AN ALIBI – Wons Phreely + the Horses (11)
11. TWO HIGH – Moon Taxi (4)
12. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (17)
13. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (13)
14. THE GOLD – Manchester Orchestra (14)
15. ALL THE STARS – Kendrick Lamar, SZA (9)
16. ALREADY GONE – Brett Dennen (18)
17. GUIDE YOU IN THE DARK – RECKLESS JACKS (21)
18. SATURDAY SUN – Vance Joy (22)
19. MY MY MY! – Troye Sivan (23)
20. IRREVERSIBLE KNOT – DENSE (24)
21. SAFARI SONG – Greta Van Fleet (16)
22. RUN FOR COVER – The Killers (15)
23. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (28)
24. PAIN – The War on Drugs (19)
25. SORRY – Nothing But Thieves (N)
26. WITHOUT WALLS – Lyia Meta (30)
27. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (N)
28. DEVIL – Shinedown (N)
29. DOUBT – Joywave (N)
30. UNWIND – John Defeo (N)