Jerry
Fiess – Something About Life (Independent)
New Jersey based singer-songwriter and
multi-instrumentalist Jerry Fiess began playing piano at age six, with
instruction and assistance from his grandmother. He still plays piano, but he’s
also added guitar and harmonica to his repertoire, and it’s the combination of
instruments coupled with his expressive vocals that gives his debut album
“Something About Life” a unique musical stamp. Rooted in Americana and the folk
tradition, Fiess wouldn’t have sounded wholly out of place had he plying his
trade in the coffee shops and bars of ‘60s Greenwich Village, though he
modernizes his sound with an easy soulfulness, which of course, is very much the
vogue with contemporary songwriters and singers.
He begins with “Down By the River”. The title may not
be wholly original, but the song is. There’s a vulnerability and openness to
Fiess’ voice, which is tremendously appealing, and his harmonica provides a
useful counterpoint and signals links to artists like Neil Young and Bob Dylan.
On “Must Be More” he taps into another vibe
altogether, thanks to rolling keys and a bar band vibe, and the gentler, more
reflective “Work It Out” shows off both his
versatility and his talent for laying bare emotions while simultaneously avoiding
any suggestion of mawkishness. If I could only choose one track to pester my
local radio station to play, it would be “Hard to Be
Honest”. Upbeat and catchy, with a spidery electric guitar entwining the
vocals, it deserves to be heard by a much wider audience.
Phil S.
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