Just Jack is back with 'Overtones', a danceable interrogation of modern life that is stylish and assured. Jack's lyrics summon tragic-comic characters from wanabee Z-listers to Ikea cut-out yuppies, while beats borrowed from hip hop, disco, house and funk bring the right mood. Fresh from a soundcheck in Notting Hill, Jack’s chat is just right, trust!

WHERE DID THE 'WRITERS' BLOCK' SAMPLE COME FROM?
Some BBC record, the first British woman describing going off to win a gold Olympic medal. She was a long jumper - I chopped out the sport and it had the right sort of casualness; how she says it was pouring and 'Good Old England...' I always find odd records, loads of spoken word stuff, and then there's people in spandex and big hair...if anything’s a bit out there, I buy it!

DID YOU SET OUT TO 'CAPTURE LIFE IN ENGLAND'?
More to capture life generally, to find universal truths. I’m not making out like I’m a UK eccentric, although people think so! I don’t want it to be just music for my mates to listen to.

SO WHAT KIND OF PICTURES DO YOUR LYRICS PAINT?
Hopefully reasonably true ones. I’m not looking at everything just through my viewpoint; I use stuff that interests me, little stories become songs.

ONE LYRIC SAYS 'NOW I'M OUT OF MY SHELL...' ARE YOU?
The line before that is about weed psychosis, being paranoid and not going out, everyone staring! It really fucks you when you’ve got to do what I do. I was most prolific when I was in France with no weed at all. My brain went into overdrive, I was hyper - I started in the first place because I did people’s heads in!

'DISCO FRIENDS' - ARE THEY ASSOCIATES OF YOURS?
Novelty sunglasses and mullet wigs! It’s about a girl I met and her experiences. Disco kids are nutters and pill heads, crazy bastards still up on Tuesday, missing work and stuff.

IT’S A MELLOW TRACK...IS THERE MORE OF A COME-DOWN FEEL TO IT?
When I think of clubbing it's in slow motion. It's opposite to what you expect and you’d miss the words if it was banging.

IS 'STARS IN THEIR EYES' DESPAIRING OR AMUSED?
That isn't about people who go on reality TV but the people who create that world. It means nothing, just plastic.

THE BEATS... ARE THEY SAMPLED?
I got a drummer to do this tribal thing after I was walking about the studio and heard an Adam Ant track!

IS 'LOST' ABOUT A REAL PERSON OR SOME AMERICAN PSYCHO FIGURE?
People going to Ikea every weekend! This guy fills his life with possessions; the buzz dies, he has an affair, thinking that will sort him out. Consumerism is wrong!

WHY DO YOU WRITE SO MANY TUNES ABOUT FRUSTRATION AND FAILURE?
Sad songs are easier to write! 'Glory Days' is happy with dark undercurrents. This might sound wanky but it’s like mankind always fails; we make beautiful paintings and buildings, but end up killing and destroying. Greed gets in the way. My songs walk the line between sadness and hope. I like bittersweet things that reveal beauty in a dark situation.

'TALK TOO MUCH' RECALLS A PRINCE STYLE FUNKY VIBE...
We were saying, 'Turn up the Prince guitar!' I like his stuff so it creeps in occasionally!

WHAT ELSE INSPIRES YOU?
I wrote 'Hold On' after listening to Simon and Garfunkel, and ‘No Time’ pays tribute to Masters at Work and my favourite house producers, but tiny influences come in from everywhere. I listen to anything I can get my hands on.

IS MUSIC IS THE BEST VEHICLE FOR COMMUNICATION?
I suppose with the combination of words and a melody, you can say more. 'I Talk Too Much' is about arguing with someone you're with, you can’t leave it!

WHAT IS 'SYMPHONY OF SIRENS' ABOUT?
Sex! My girlfriend lived opposite a police and fire station...The flat was pretty hot and that’s the whole vibe of the song; if you listen to the lyrics, it is a bit dirty!

'THE INTERNET, DRUGS AND MASTURBATION,' IS THIS THE AXIS OF EVIL?!
What about TV, every other Channel 5 documentary is like soft porn!

WHAT WORRIES YOU MOST ABOUT THE WORLD TODAY?
War, people resorting to killing, it's a bit much. Also consumerism and shallow messages on TV, with so many people watching...I worry so much!

WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU WRITE PROTEST MUSIC?
Just pop music about loving stuff or hating stuff.

DO YOU COMBINE FUNKY GROOVES WITH BLEAK LYRICS INSTINCTIVELY?
Angry songs can sound happy and vice versa. It messes with people's heads, upbeat songs about breaking up - the best club songs are dark!

SOME OF YOUR BACKING VOCALS HAVE A GOSPEL VIBE?
I love gospel, and house music that's like gospel, I can just sit with my headphones on and cry!

IS JAZZ ANOTHER INFLUENCE TO THE LAST HALF OF THE LP?
I like a lot of broken beat jazzy stuff; funk comes from classic jazz.

WHO WOULD BE YOUR DREAM MUSICIANS TO COLLABORATE WITH?
The Neptunes or Cee-Lo, who I’ve liked for years. Maybe Jack Johnson...

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE TITLE 'OVERTONES'?
Overtones are harmonic things but double meanings as well; it suits the songs and the world I’m talking about.

JUST JACK’S 'OVERTONES' IS OUT NOW (MERCURY)

WWW.JUSTJACK.CO.UK