Corporate line:
Firesight makes good on the critical praise and grass-roots fan support that’s already been heaped upon 24-year-old Jessie Baylin. The2008 album offers a vibrant, soulful showcase for her talents as both an uncommonly insightful songwriter and a deeply expressive, effortlessly charismatic vocalist. Recorded in the artist’s recently adopted hometown of Nashville with noted producer Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo, Rogue Wave), Firesight features contributions from some of Nashville’s most respected rock players, and songwriting collaborations with such notable co-writers as Whiskeytown member Mike Daly and grammy-winning songwriter/performer Jesse Harris, L.A. Troubadour Zack Hexum and the Rembrandts’ Danny Wilde.
The good:
“Leave Your Mark” – A beautiful contemporary song that reaches across a few genres to grab diverse music fans.
“See How I Run” – Simply gorgeous. The song isn’t filled to the brim with extras–it’s black and white and still beautiful.
“Lonely Heaven” – Back to the jazz club with a mellow sound that brings Baylin closer to Norah Jones.
“The Glitter” – A funky jazz track that showcases Baylin’s sexier side.
“Contradicting Words” – A must buy–this time she does Stevie Nicks proud.
The rest:
“Was I On Your Mind” – Sounds more country than jazz–that doesn’t hurt the song. The sheer monotony ends up keeping the song down.
‘Not A Day More” – Fans of Stevie Nicks might dig this particular song.
Frankly:
Jessie Baylin has released a very nice album. It’s not great, and it could have been. Baylin has a great voice–one of the better voices you’ll hear in the genre. The biggest issue is that as freely as Baylin floats from jazz to country it is also a distraction. Baylin could have a career in either genre-she just needs to make her choice and make the best [insert style here] album she can make. There is no doubt that Jessie Baylin should have a good career ahead of her.
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