Jackson Wetherbee is the real deal. He’s got the voice, the versatility and the pop sensibility to catapult him to singer/songwriter stardom. Oh, and his tight-ass backing band is more than just an afterthought, too often a forgotten key to mainstream singer/songwriter success. So fuck the autotune and screw the digital effects. These mothers are all natural and Wetherbee’s got enough raw emotion in his cords to reach through any set of speakers and tug on yours.
What really puts the whole package together is that although the messages in J-Dub’s lyrics are deep and often pessimistic about the future, his music maintains an upbeat optimism that breathes life into concepts otherwise deeply depressing. Take album opener, “Ages of Tomorrow,” for example. The fun, upbeat ballad features downer lyrics “I feel nothing but sorrow for the ages of tomorrow/With all this thing building, we’re sure to lose control.” Yet when it’s Wetherbee dropping the lines you get the feeling that there’s something he’s not telling you, and everything will be all right. You can just picture the sly smirk on his face as he crafted the harmonious irony found in the deep, splintered contrast.
My favorite element of Wetherbee’s game, however, is his vocal versatility. He’s obviously got plenty of pop-songwriter influences ranging from Jack Johnson and G-Love to Ben Kweller and John Mayer, but each execution of style is spot on. His volume and dynamics control on “Symphony of Dreams” is downright blissful, and his bits of fire spit on “Remember My Friends” is formidable, showcasing his potential to really be a singer-el-renaissance.
The strongest of the set is “Weeping Willow.” Lathered in hot buttered horns and smooth organ blips, the silky backdrop is perfect for Wetherbee’s smoothest drop of the album. The song is short (just under three minutes) and straight to the point, with the last minute or so of the song giving the backing band their most deserved props featuring an instrumental groove that really is quite awesome. And it’s called “Weeping Willow”! That shit’s hilarious!
For more information on The Jackson Wetherbee band check out their official website and get their album now on iTunes!