Golden Some Day is Jeremy Dion’s latest release and has much to commend it. Admittedly, there is a whole lot of variety to these arrangements and performances. First: Dion and his impressive band delivers rock solid playing like a well oiled machine. This is testament to hundreds of hours of rehearsal time no doubt. Second: Dion himself possesses a voice and an impassioned writing style that hits the mark remarkably well within the folk-pop music arena. He has the attributes required of an effective singer/songwriter. Third: his sound and amazing songwriting touch are as good as it gets within modern pop. All songs are a skillful combination of modern pop rock yet with a slight Folk-Alternative Rock aftertaste that reminded me of Shayne Ward, and John Mayer. Dion has all the creativity and songwriting prowess to be extremely dangerous. What am I trying to say – well let m start by saying there is nothing fake and superficial about Jeremy Dion and his music. It’s nice to know some artists still take their soul into the studio with them rather then leave it at the door. Not every square inch is filled with musical ambience delivered under duress – but musical space this allows the music to breathe on its own with passion that cannot be faked. Equally as impressive is how marketable this catalogue truly is. It covers so much ground and despite this manages not to spread itself to thin across to many lines – nice touch. I’ve always said if you can play it a party or a gathering, then it’s marketable. The music is extremely marketable - with a fresh sound that is passionately optimistic very much like Dion himself. My favorite songs are: Good as the Rain, Desperate Mama, and Live to Hallelujah.Let me go on record by stating Jeremy Dion has no weaknesses that I can see and hear. He has everything and this latest string of songs on Golden Some Day are and endearing staple limited by nothing. I would imagine in time we will hear more from this artist from Colorado in the years unfold. Time will tell but I can honestly say this is one artist that is set up for marketable success down the road with her musical personality and fresh sound that gives modern pop a well needed wake up call.
I have to say I was extremely impressed with the opening 3 tracks "Take Them There”, “Radio Man” and the title track. They made quite the first impression with me. Each one possessed my full unadulterated attention. To be honest: I expected cheesy Singer Songwriter Pop cut from the same cloth as say a Jason Mraz or Rob Thomas. Not that there’s anything wrong with Jason Mraz or Rob Thomas, I just want to hear something new and different and something that will shake the tree a bit. Really I’m up for anything at this point. What I discovered blew me out of my chair. The whole CD is a breath of fresh air and is full of what I would call rocked out energy with a Alternative-Punk-Rock-style that appeals to so many different senses on so many different levels. It reminds me of Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Iggy Pop and Dinosaur Jr. to Crash Test Dummies. I can also hear the slight Psychedelic-Rock influence in there as well. What I really like about Wooden HEZ is there is no attempt to deliver what I call over the top pop. Cheezy music with a handsome face via top flight sampling, cookie cutter songwriting via a mix that sounds more like a commercial than a piece of music. Children’s Parade appeals to both many different kinds of rockers. Whatever kind of listening level you’re on – Punk, Alternative Rock, Surf Rock some will identify with things while others will not. Weather it’s musically, lyrically, inspirationally, emotionally, spiritually - if you feel like music is taking us in the wrong direction than rest assured Wooden HEZ is taking us back in the right direction with “Children’s Parade.”Pardon my French but this CD sounds like it was recorded in a flooded basement. Pretty knurly sounding quality overall that will give you a splitting headache 5 songs into the experience. Guys take my advice – pony up some cash and go to a real recordings studio and get a real Mixer to take charge of your sound. The mix is everything! CD’s also a bit short.Despite the negatives Wooden HEZ still brings the mojo to the table and I have no doubt they are a killer live band. Ironically Wooden HEZ affirmed my faith in good music again – I just wish it sounded better. Listening to Wooden HEZ is like watching a really good movie on a black and white TV. However he still represents all that is magical, real and good in music and his latest CD delivers a highly passionate 9 track catalog via rock solid playing, amazing songwriting and music that covers all the bases: Rock, Pop and Psychedelic-Surf Rock-Americana.
Coming this May from Spectra Records, Australian four piece Jefferson's debut album All the Love in the World benefits from strong production. It surrounds the collection with a powerful modern sheen while retaining a breathing, organic sound. Geoff Rana's vocals remind me of a younger, Girlfriend-era Matthew Sweet's singing and the band demonstrates tremendous chemistry for an unit that has been playing together for three years. A listener will not have to wait long for a complete validation of this band's future. After a brief opening instrumental and two solid, but workmanlike, opening numbers, the third song "Weight of the World" is a marvelous piece of pop song-craft. The intimacy of the band's instrumentation, direct lyrics, and heartfelt vocal weave an impressive experience. The following number, "Losing Control", illustrates one of the band's few shortcomings - there is no true sense of risk in this music. For a song entitled "Losing Control", it seems essential to me that there be at least a single chaotic aspect to the music, but this tune has no urgency at all. Geoff Rana's vocals shine bright again on "Early Morning", a lush, gorgeous pop song with appealing orchestral qualities. The Hammond organ underpinning the song's movement brings added sonic depth. “I Want to Come Home" is another moving song with direct, intelligent lyrics and superb construction. I like the song's steady emotional climb and while I feel that it never quite pays off in a manner to which the average listener might be accustomed, it does not work as a weakness in this tune. Some songs are like short stories; they achieve a dramatic unity through tying up every loose end. Other songs, like this, do not need that. "All The Love" feels like the band's first real stab at a rock song on the album and it works spectacularly thanks to strong guitars and vocals, but Andy Horvath's drumming really lifts this song to another level. "Fade Away" is another solid but unremarkable tune, but the album's closer "You Are the Love" rises above its clichéd sentiments to deliver a wonderfully percussive, melodic finale that undoubtedly would make for a powerful live number. It shows that the band has learned a lot from influences like Snow Patrol, U2, and others, but they have synthesized those influences with their individual vision in a compelling fashion.
Check out the band's website for news about touring and future releases. Jefferson is a band that deserves to rise and, because of such a quality debut, it is a matter of time until their music reaches every corner of the world.
