As an introduction to this artist, and to what can be done on the humble ukelele, this CD would be a fine choice. It should also be more to the liking of fans of American roots and world music than some of Jake's more heavily produced, Europop-influenced recordings.
Stephen DiJoseph, Hypnotized
Stephen DiJoseph does many things musical - Celtic, electronic, New Age, instrumental. His latest CD shows him to be a talented singer-songwriter as well. He has a hip but restrained sensibility somewhat akin to that of Sufjan Stevens, while his watery sneer and faintly eerie harmonies bring to mind classic Tom Petty or the power-pop of George Usher. Strains of acoustic folk-rock, Beckish modernism, soft-pedal soul, and drum-'n'-bass coalesce into a poetic and accessible collection of songs with an original flavor.
Most of the best songs, like "Sunlight," "Flyin,'" the sax-spiced "Breakaway," and a cleverly re-imagined "Nights In White Satin" cluster towards the beginning of the disc; it loses some steam halfway through as the writing gets a bit lazy, although "It's No Mystery" is subtly powerful. DiJoseph's sure feel for the sound he wants never wanes, however, and even in the less happening sections the music keeps you swaying. At its best, it's nourishing food for the musical soul.
OUT AND ABOUT: Your still-intrepid reviewer took the music of his band Whisperado on a mini-tour to the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York the other weekend. You can read about these delightful happenings at Whisperado's Myspace blog.
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