Album Review: Jar-e, “Blood of the Summer”
Beginning now, Jesse and I will be trying a bit of a twist on the format. I’ll be focusing on full-length album reviews, while he focuses on the short form video posts, with the occasional bit of poetry thrown in. I don’t do rating systems (too subjective), so I’ll be giving more of an analysis with my own impressions of what I think of the album in question. Of course, I’ll post as I see fit if I find something worth sharing, but a bit of focus never hurt anyone. So, here we go.
My first review would probably be my favorite album of the year so far. I hadn’t known of Jar-e before a good friend introduced me, but I’ve been hooked on this album like you wouldn’t believe. Jar-e has a great set of pipes on him. He can cover the lows with authority and his falsetto could make the cocktail dress fly off of a waitress.
The songs themselves run the gamut between pop, soul, jazz, and pretty much anything else Jar-e sees fit to throw in. The instrumentals are well played, with a lightness and sense of groove that makes repeated listens much easier on the brain. Plus, anyone that can throw in a jazz saxophone solo over pop structures and harmonies is grade A in my book.
As far as lyrical content, Jar-e has a clear voice and relatable, emotional content that blends well with the moods and emotions of the other instruments. To me, the record tells the story of unrequited love, backwards. I’m sure anyone else can throw in their own meanings, but it’s not too hard to hear that the man is in love.
Check out his Bandcamp page to stream the whole album or purchase it directly from him. You can pick your own price after fifty cents, but I’d recommend floating him a few more dollars than that. Better yet, pick up the highest quality version you can, get a set of great headphones, and lose yourself. If you don’t find yourself singing along after one listen, I’ll be very surprised.
Our Lady of Perpetual Tone 