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Written
by Shannon Cowden, posted by blog admin
St,
Louis born Jackson Howard earned himself a seat at the table of modern musical
talents with his debut release and his follow up, a thirteen song collection
entitled Just for the Mystery, will likely propel him to the forefront of indie
artists working today. The bulk of the album’s thirteen songs are original
compositions with both the music and words being Howard’s responsibility alone
and his talent for crafting memorably intelligent material is one of the
central factors distinguishing his work apart from the recorded output of other
similar artists. He’s performed hundreds upon hundreds of times since his
recording debut and considerable live experience he’s earned has given him an
deeper level of commitment as a performer. It gives the original tracks and
otherwise on Just for the Mystery an unusual level of maturity and emotional
complexity for such a young performer and consolidates Howard’s position as one
of the most talented newcomers on the indie singer/songwriter scene today.
He
starts off things in a mildly ambitious way by kicking the album off with its
title track. This is a number designed to lift listener’s spirits and does so
without ever laying anything on too thick. Instead, it’s a supremely well
constructed AOR rock track with just enough of a balance between the commercial
and the personal to really make it fly. There’s some inventive, yet
understated, guitar work coupled with measured drumming and tasty piano fills
fueling “A Place in the World”. It’s one of Howard’s most assured vocals on the
album and his genuine emotive grace comes through vividly. “Run With Me” doesn’t
have the same quite bright hue coloring the previous track, but the meditative
beauty of the song redeems any loss of light. First class guitar work, both
electric and acoustic, is one of Just for the Mystery’s defining
characteristics, but he doesn’t rely on that instrument alone. There’s an
outstanding variety of keyboard colors, tempo shifts, and textural variations
that make this far more than just some sensitive slice of AOR singer/songwriter
craftsmanship.
One
of the album’s two covers, “The Battle of Evermore” comes from Led Zeppelin IV
and might strike some as an unlikely candidate for a Zeppelin cover. The
classical folk and fantasy leanings of the track are revised into something
much bluesier with this performance and guest vocalist Rachel Horter does a
spectacular job with Sandy Dennis’ original vocal part. It isn’t meant as a
slight to Howard’s songwriting talents, substantial as they are, but this rates
as one of the album’s finest moments. There are a lot of light, barely
perceptible touches that go into making “Driftwood” one of the album’s best
songs, but its patient transition from essentially a solo piece into a lightly
swinging acoustic number by song’s end makes this a memorable moment on the
release. “if I Fall” is much closer to a purely solo performance. Howard’s
voice possesses all the needed sensitivity to match up well with a lyrical
piano track and the song practically aches with emotion. Jackson Howard proves
on Just for the Mystery that he’s more than up to task of making himself
vulnerable for his audience and hits a home run that will define his career in
some respects from this point forward.
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