Jerry Faye adds a full ensemble of support on her new self-titled EP.
Matt Carter
In a lot of ways, the new self-titled EP from Jerry Faye picks up right where she left us on her debut release, In Sum. She’s still singing about school and those familiar relationship woes we’ve all experienced at one time or another – the type that seem insurmountable, all encompassing and poetically tragic in their failures. But I suppose that’s standard source material to many, and an area of heartbreak Faye has a knack for exploring in the most sincere and relatable fashion.
Lyrically, Faye doesn’t get caught up in innuendo or poetic nuance. Her writing is almost conversational in that her songs sound like she’s speaking directly to her audience as individuals and not around them as some faceless group of onlookers. This form of delivery adds a certain personal quality that pairs perfectly with Faye’s songwriting.
While she isn’t charting new ground in her writing, or straying too far from the Jerry Faye who penned the sleeper hit Kings College Rd just a few years back, the strength in this latest release comes from the band Faye has surrounded herself with and how her voice fits within this new framework. Together with drummer Liam Bunin, bassist Kevin Belyea and guitarist Dylan Ward who also recorded, mixed and mastered this batch of songs, Faye is on her way to creating something truly memorable, something that has the potential to turn more than just a few heads every so often.
The EP opens with the track Winter Semester, a song that eases us nicely into the whole Jerry-Faye-has-a-band-now thing. The arrangement is minimal and spot-on. Things really start to take shape by the second track Useless, where a simple full beat break of bass drums and guitar really makes the presence and voices of those instruments known. That’s where the strength of this new ensemble first appears and from there, Bunin, Belyea and Ward prove to be the ideal accompanists for Faye and her songs.
Upcoming Performances:
Living Roots at Harvest | September 14 | 4:30 – 11:30 p.m. | View Event
Jerry Faye | FACEBOOK | BANDCAMP
