by Lisa Kiser
I’m not gonna lie – I’d never heard of these guys until I stumbled upon them on the web, and decided to take a listen to the band with the funny name. Come to find out, they’re actually quite established, having produced a pleathora of albums dating back to the days when this cowgirl was jamming with tapes. I was surprised at what I heard. Though naturally I was scouting out country tunes when I found them, their sound is more folksy. I’d personally liken them to Train or Evan and Jaron (if anyone besides me remembers them) so I’m not sure how they’d do competing against your Kenny Chesneys and Tim McGraws, but then, maybe it’s their different sound that would give them an edge. I happened to like what I heard, with the caveat that if you’re in the “drawl or die” mindset you’re probably not gonna wanna go here.
I’ve got to give them props for getting their music out there for people to sample. At least at the time of posting, I was able to hear their album in its entirety, which is refreshing, and smart on their part. I suspect this strategy will net them a slew of new listeners. Their title track “Promise of Summer” left me optimistic that the long winter ahead will once again bring back the magic of summer. It’s a neat, catchy song that makes you want to sing, without losing the “pretty” factor. The tunes contain intelligent, insightful lyrics that make one wistful for love. Jackopierce’s sentimental and romantic songs are in contrast with their very name. Though “Jackopierce” is a simple convergence of band member’s names, it seems more befitting perhaps of a punk band then a folksy rocky countrish number. But I digress. Other tunes of note are “Everything I’m Not” an uplifting song about finding beauty in another, and “Sad Tonight” a tale of love gone astray. This collection of music has an engaging power to it that sucks you in and gets you lost. In fact, the album’s sweet, kind lyrics have swung me right through the work days of late. If you’re willing to try your ears at an alternative kind of country, I think you’ll really enjoy Jackopierce.
