Chris St. John "When Dreams End"

 I enjoy cooking shows - it's a guilty pleasure of mine. It seems like aspects of celebrity chefs and their lexicon are increasingly creeping into popular culture - one such term is "umami." Which ends up being a catch-all term for "extra taste" or "that special something that no one can really define, yet we can all sense it's there" (come to think of it, maybe "umami" is a more useful word than I originally thought). It's yet another way of stating: "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Many songs also have an "umami" quality - I often think of Calexico/Iron and Wine's "He Lays in the Reins" or Billy Idol's "Eyes Without a Face." Well, we can add another catchy/lovely tune to this list, and it's Chris S. John's song: "Lost Without Your Love," (the Grammy folks agree with me as the song has received a nomination) - a hauntingly sentimental love ballad with an equally beautiful music video (see below). 

"Lost Without Your Love" is from Mr. St. John's newest LP "When Dreams End," which if I'm correct, was recorded in Nashville with some pretty impressive lifting on the part of session musicians and production. Of course, Chris is holding his own as the frontman of his eponymous act. 

Listeners will be happy to know that there are more than a few gems on this record. From the upbeat folksy "Oh Papa" to the lamentatious "What's Wrong With Me," (this one has a killer fiddle part that makes the song extra special), and the country-sexy "These Curves." There's a lot to digest here, so you better have "When Dreams End" ready for your next long drive. 

I'm grateful to be passed along this album, I'll be excited to see where "Lost Without Your Love" ends up, and for that matter, same with the rest of the album. 

Jo Potter "Tonight"

From Tori Amos to Suzanne Vega, I've always had a thing for female singers/songwriters who have a lot to say. So I was extremely pleased when I stumbled across Jo Potter's 2019 release "Tonight," a hard-hitting 10-track album (complete with 3 acoustic versions of songs) featuring some incredible tracks with plenty of flavor and attitude. From the instrumentation to the vocals, this is a first-rate recording and well worth your time on Spotify. 

The title track "Tonight" is a fun and energetic party tune featuring pulsing guitars and a backbeat that belongs on a car-stereo heading out for the best night of your life. I like how Jo starts her album off with a rather optimistic feel, especially since there is some pretty serious subject matter on the horizon of her album. I'm not sure if she would call herself a country or rock artist but I could easily imagine fans of both finding a lot to like here. 

The second song is "Over and Done" which is still upbeat but a little softer in instrumentation than "Tonight." I love the intimate vocals of this tune and you can tell that Jo Potter has an incredible sense of melody in her writing - there's a lot to like about the arrangement too, it's almost like the guitar part could be a dulcimer tune. It's got a mild folk quality but is obviously in the pop camp with the rhythmic vocals. 

On to "Baby I am Yours" with a thumping beat it sounds sexy to start but some contrast comes in with the vocals - which are so sweet. I was getting a real Leslie Gore feel in this track (it might be the drums) but it seems to navigate that space between 1950s pop and country.

#4 on the album is "For You" (Seraphina's Lullaby) I was not prepared, as a listener, for how lovely this song was. I'm partial to ballads, so I'm biased, but if I had to choose one track on "tonight" to recommend, it would be "For You." With sweet string and arpeggiated guitar, the vocals sound just like, well, a lullaby. This one is just beautiful and heartfelt. If you could sing a warm blanket - it would probably sound something like this song. 

Next up is "You're Amazing," another attitude song with a groovy bassline and drums. On first listen it made me think this is going to be more bluesy (and I was right). A wake-up call to women wasting time with substandard men is the thrust of the lyrics - which I wholeheartedly support. Imagine later Annie Lennox ("Walking on Broken Glass") - again, it's a really fun track something like the first two on the album. 

"Goodbye," is a medium-tempo acoustic-vibe-jam. Ms. Potter sings very ballad-friendly vocals. This song reflects some of the most expert lyric writing of the whole album. Especially in the refrain - we all know the "goodbye" is coming but the way she stretches it out through the verse makes it sound like this is the first song of this nature we've ever heard. 

Track #7 is "Waiting." Some of the tightest instrumentation is in this song and I love the congas. I've got to complement our songstress on her sense of drama: especially in that it's a sentimental sound in instrumental and vocals with an energy and tempo rise headed towards the chorus. Be warned, it's very easy to get "Waiting" stuck in your head for days. 

Nest up is "No Apology" I can't tell if I'm just semi-aroused by Jo Potter but I'm really enjoying the very sexy attitude. But come on, she sings the line "mover over you like the ocean." Again, like the rest of the album, there are wonderfully expertly played arrangements. 

Second to last "Everything" has the air of a downtempo jam. The groove is piano and drums driven, which strays just a bit from the other songs - but obviously belongs to the same body of work. Not to beat a dead horse but I'm a huge fan of the rhythmic melodic line which conveys a sultry side that I'm really digging from Ms. Potter. 

"Nothing" is the perfect parting song from the album. Swirling violins in a waltz rhythm. It has a similar sentimental sound to "Waiting." Again, it seems like ballads are where Jo Potter really shines - it's the right song for late-night whiskey while the record player winds down. Think of a more subdued "At Last" except, you know, it's about breakup, so it's kind of the anti-"At Last." 

Of course, I should mention the wonderful acoustic versions of "Baby I am Yours," "Goodbye," and "No Apology" which are all just as great as the studio versions (yeah, yeah, I know these were recorded in the studio as well, but you know what I mean). 

This is my first time hearing Jo Potter, but I'm deeply impressed with her material both as a writer and as a performer. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here. You can find her at her website: www.jopotter.com

Danjul "Drama"

Admittedly, I'm past the age where the rave-scene or dance club is right for me (outside of being a DJ or manager). I am not so old, however; that I've forgotten those halcyon days of pulsating lights, sweaty bodies, drunken flirtation, and of course the music. Frankly, I'm rather grateful for songs that give me nostalgic flashbacks to that period of my life. So I was thrilled to hear Danjul's newest track "Drama"

I guess the first thing that jumps out to me is the beautiful buzz-saw-like synth leads cut through the mix, almost like the beat is screaming "Dance!" Seriously, the track is expertly produced with continuous energy, yet so varied from line to line, that there's not a dull part of the song. Of course, no matter how good the beat is, "Drama" wouldn't work without equally matched vocals, and here Danjul delivers in spades. The melody is unrefined in the best possible way - like Michael Jackson always sounded like Michael Jackson, but at the same time he was a great singer - this is the kind of vibe I get from him. 

To learn more about Danjul, visit his website here.