By John Bedard
In the interest of full disclosure, this is not an album I would have ever picked up for myself. Living where I do, in the backwoods of the American south, when I see a self-titled album with the cover art being a dude and a trailer, the knee-jerk reaction is to assume it is country and back away as fast as possible (TBF I’d probably be the same – Ed). As it is, I’m going to have to borrow from an old cliche, as I probably should stop judging albums by their covers, because Dave Jakes has delivered a very pleasant surprise.
While I would not say the genre is hard nailed down I would probably try to categorize it as indie rock or alternative rock adjacent to some styles of southern rock. (assuming a more American understanding of those explanations) While not itself a member of that family it would not seem out of place on a radio station dedicated to the genre that being said, this would fit in on a lot of stations. From top 40 to alternative indie to even country. This is not to say that it is generic enough to fit all those genres but rather to say that this unique sound is extremely pleasing. Even if it is not your specific genre there is nothing offensive about it. Every track is very pretty and keeps your attention wonderfully.
Musically, we have heavy use of the piano drums and base with other instruments coming in and out such as guitar, synths, and violins. Everything is presented so gently it makes for a very beautiful style that is only improved when the vocals come in with heavy use of reverb almost gives an otherworldly feeling to the whole experience. Admittedly, it is a little hard to put into words what I mean by that. It is something you almost need to experience yourself but that is worth it.
I have to say I did not expect to like this based on my first gut reaction, but I am not too prideful to not admit when I am wrong. Dave Jakes has crafted a very meaningful and beautiful experience with this album that feels very complete. While I still don’t think it will appeal to those who only want the more extreme ends of metal for pretty much anyone else there is something to like here. I could see a few of these tracks doing really well on mainstream radio however without falling into the formulaic styles that often plague mainstream radio. Pick this one up. It’s worth it.
- ‘Dave Jakes’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
www.facebook.com/davejakesofficial
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