JARED COSTA is your typical singer/songwriter, rarely straying from emotional and angst-ridden as all singer/songwriters seem obliged to these days. The press release reads, "Jared Costa often draws comparisons to the likes of Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Neil Young" but let me tell you, the comparisons are wayward indeed. This is Costa’s second studio album entitled ‘Onwards & Upwards’ and it operates somewhere in between country, folk and Americana.
Opening song ‘State of Affairs’ sets the scene of Americana folk with blasts of harmonica and chugging acoustic riffs. The lack of fluidity in Costa’s storytelling is immediately evident, it really just doesn’t blend together well, sounding more forced than natural. The album takes a dramatic upturn though with ‘Love’ a mutant-country Axl Rose vocal with further blitzes of harmonica laid on ambient folk and affluent country licks. But its his gritty vocals on this track that shine through. 2Well You can never look down on another man/Unless you tend on helping him up" he sings.
There's a continual lack of fluidity and insipid lyrics. ‘To Mine’ lacks atmosphere as do the majority his vocals,while the absence of guitar creativity is not enough to absorb peoples' concentration, evident again in ‘Stronger’. The earlier assumptions of the press officer that Costa should be compared to Bob Dylan are probably due to the constant use of his harmonica. But, lets not knock the artist too much, the chorus is slightly more memorable and catchier but still not sinuous to really grab you.
The pace picks up with the raucous acoustic ‘No Revolution’ then slows for ‘Take It All’ which represents the edgiest song on this album. Shunning his usual plodding riffs and cardboard choruses, there’s a catchy contemporary 90s mellow rock tinge to it that coaxes longevity in your thoughts. The harmonies are layered brilliantly and it's mystifying why everything can’t resonate so well.
|
Ho hum, the following title track falls straight back into derisory territory again and Costa’s vocals simply go to pot. And let's just forget all about ‘Departure’ shall we.‘No Man’s Land’, ‘Rainmaker’s Waltz’, ‘Sad Song’ and ‘Once Upon A Time’ are as shallow as you can get. Sometimes, there’s a lilting defiance in his vocals but in the main the melodies are non-existent.
Scrutiny is rife with any singer/songwriter, so the chances of an artist emerging from this crowded corner of the industry is slim. To become a successful songwriter there has to be a break from the norm, or at least credible songs. Without this you’re not going emulate the likes of Damien Dempsey et al. Instead you fall into the corner of the market which is so often open for criticism, and unfortunately this doesn’t even touch the sides, never mind fall into the basket marked 'crucial'.
With ten years of musical experience under Costa’s belt, h'e attained local hero status. He says that he tries to purvey ‘positivity’ through his music. That's all very well but fundamentally he simply hasn't got the guts and melodies to really count. He sure can play his harmonica though! Although this may sound like I have berated him throughout, ‘Take It All’ is a majestic song and Jared Costa, I thank you for that.
|
