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.
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