Jonny Greenwood’s career has grown increasingly unpredictable since recording perhaps the most recognizable palm-muted guitar chugs in alt-rock history. His legendary guitar work in Radiohead and The Smile notwithstanding, the musician has grown to be a sought-after film composer, respected contemporary classical figure, and presumably the world’s only olive oil salesman who’s headlined Coachella. His latest project, Jarak Qaribak, finds Greenwood pivoting yet again, this time taking on Arabic love songs.
Made in collaboration with Israeli musician and former Radiohead tourmate Dudu Tassa, Jarak Qaribak is a reinterpretation of nine songs from the pop music catalog of the Middle East. Each track features a different vocalist tackling a tune from a country that’s not their own – fitting for a record with a title that loosely translates to, “Your neighbor is your friend.”
“It’s a whole universe of music and, more excitingly, there are these young singers who are just mind-blowingly good,” Greenwood tells Consequence. “And that’s two inspiring things right there. So it’s hard to not get sucked down this rabbit hole when there’s so many amazing songs down there.”
But while the tunes might be incredible, they’re not always done justice — at least according to Greenwood. He laments how adaptations of these types of songs often lose the subtle complexity that’s so integral the style of music. It’s a pitfall he took special care to avoid.
“One of the frustrations I feel when I hear how these kinds of songs are often interpreted is that, rhythmically, it’s usually reduced to just four on the floor, kind of loud, not very good techno,” explains Greenwood. “And that always struck me as a real shame, because what’s great about the original is the delicacy of the rhythms and how subtle and complicated they are in the best way.
“It’s a bit like early blues recordings,” he continues. “The same thing happened to them, you could argue if you were feeling pretentious, like I am. Suddenly, what started out as things that were subtle and varying all the way through a song became just, you know, kick-snare-hat. Everything on the one and the three. No variations.”
