Jack Omer
Album: The Music Of Joanna
Label: Sospiro
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.jackomer.com

Like Brighton in Sussex, I've become aware of just how much good music is coming out of Herts at the moment, the latest being Jack Omer and his self-penned debut, "The Music Of Joanna". I say debut, but like a lot of artists, he put together a demo album in his youth.

Jack is a writer of narrative songs, many of these come from his own perspective, but he's also very good in separating himself from events, real and imagined and finding a way of telling them through someone else's perspective, always the mark of a fine songwriter.

Similarly whilst most of the songs on the album are written for voice and guitar and then embellished by additional musicians, including, Sarah Allen, Neil Cowley and Neill MacColl, who also does the duties behind the desk, there is still space to compose the occasional song on the old Joanna. Of these "Ferryville" is easily the most prominent as well as being one of the most beautiful and poignant songs on the album.

Whilst I like the presentation of the songs on the album, you can also get a great sense of what they would be like with just the man and his guitar and it makes me want to catch him live. Take a listen to "Of Priests & Professors" which features the line, "The Priest is in the whorehouse, while the thief sings in the choir" and you get an idea of where Jack Omer is coming from.

He has the poetic quality of someone that has kissed the metaphoric Blarney Stone and combines it with the cynicism of one that grew up in the days when indie was king. That said all is not bitter, the opening track, "Something Wicked This Way Comes" is an open, emotion piece that shows a real love of melody.

Neil King