OLESYA SALNIKOVA
A&E Assistant
Good music is rare; great music is even rarer. Discovering new music that is great is a delicious pleasure that is reserved for the most rare of times.
The other weekend, I happened to have one such moment when I accidentally came across a new artist whose music is refreshingly new and, at the same time, reminiscent of guitar and vocal aficionados Jack Johnson and John Mayer.
Up and coming new alternative artist, Kelley James, uses a remarkable combination of instruments, including acoustic and electric guitars, drums, choir, piano and even jazzy beats with saxophones and trumpets. James reminded me of other musicians who dedicate themselves to alternative sounds and soulful lyrics.
James’ guitar beats and laid back lyrics are vaguely reminiscent of Jack Johnson. Songs like “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing,” “Banana Pancakes,” “Inaudible Melodies” and “Upside Down” are similar in their upbeat and relaxed California-like feel to some of the songs that James performed. Jack Johnson’s songs, however, tend to be slower and primarily focused on acoustic guitars.
Guitars are a capital asset to this alternative group of artists. John Mayer is also partial to acoustics. His songs reflect the same relaxed feel as the previous two artists. Mayer, like James, uses a variety of instruments to vary his songs. For instance, his “City Love” is very different from Mayer’s “Why Georgia?” because the former is primarily acoustic, while the latter incorporates a wide variety of instruments, including heavier percussion and drums.
It is perhaps this realization that makes me think that even though there are certain conventions in this genre of alternative music, like acoustic sounds and rhythmic vocals, there is definitely room for innovation. A combination of new sounds and an incorporation of various new instruments might be a good way to change up some of the songs with which we are all too familiar. The jazzy feel of James’ songs adds this much needed breath of fresh air to a genre of music that has become especially over-played in the last couple of years.
One of James’ most popular songs is “In the Meantime,” which is a fusion of lyrical beats with an edgier feel than either Johnson or Mayer. “The Miracle” and “Making Me Love” is more laid back and slightly more Jack Johnson-esque than the others, with airy guitar strokes and carefree vocals.
Even though James is similar in many ways to his predecessors, his innovative use of so many different instruments and new beats makes me realize how stale and repetitive some of the songs of artists like Mayer and Johnson have started to become. “Making Me Love” has additional saxophone sounds, keyboards and a background choir, which adds a jazzy flavor to an otherwise familiar song.
If you love that style, but want a new twist to some of the drier songs from the past, there are many new artists who are emerging and transforming this genre of music. Other artists who might be a good alternative are Daniel Powter, with songs like “Bad Day” and “Free Loop.” This artist uses a lot of piano and punky acoustics that put a new spin to this type of alternative music.
Discovering artists is precisely how you find great new music. Even though both Johnson and Mayer have left a significant imprint on this acoustic and alternative genre, there are a plethora of burgeoning new artists out there who have morphed their music into more inventive and creative rhythms, which is guaranteed to be a welcome change for anyone with Johnson and Mayer songs in their iPod.
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