ORIGINAL MUSIC REVIEWS
ARTIST - JON HERINGTON
GENRE or STYLE - BLUES / ROCK
CD REVIEW - TIME ON MY HANDS
COPYRIGHT & PUBLISHED - 2012 WISE AXE INC
PRODUCED BY - JON HERINGTON & DENNIS ESPANTMAN
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION - JIM BEARD & FRANK PAGANO
PRODUCED BY - JON HERINGTON & DENNIS ESPANTMAN
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION - JIM BEARD & FRANK PAGANO
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| COPYRIGHT 2012 WISE AXE INC PUBLISHED 2012 DEE RASHID MUSIC / GOODJON BADJOHN MUSIC -BMI AND ICON EAR MUSIC-BMI / GOODJON BADJON MUSIC -BMI |
Ok, Let's get this debate out of the way...
I will state for the record; nobody here at Original Music Reviews knows Jon Herington personally. We received this CD by mail like most other CDs, which we have reviewed in the past. Some of you may argue that Jon Herington does not meet the review requirements of Original Music Reviews. Some may say that Jon Herington is a successfully signed artist. His accomplishments include touring and recording in Steely Dan, with his work earning Multiple Grammys in 2001 on the album "Two against Nature," plus he has also toured or played with Phoebe Snow, Bobby Caldwell, Donald Fagen, Boz Scaggs, Bette Midler & others.
Original Music Reviews main requirements for music to be reviewed on this site:
1) must be a CD of Original Music.
2) must have this year's Copyright and/or Published Date on it.
3) the artist is not signed to a Major Label (unsigned) or the CD
is on an small independent label (indie or inde which ever way you spell it).
4) we must think it is worth our time to review it.
"Time on my hands" by Jon Harington is :
1) an original CD.
2) it has 2012 Copyright & Published date.
3) it is his solo project and it's an independent release with no major label ties.
4) I want to review it.
End of debate. It is time for the review to begin.
I will state for the record; nobody here at Original Music Reviews knows Jon Herington personally. We received this CD by mail like most other CDs, which we have reviewed in the past. Some of you may argue that Jon Herington does not meet the review requirements of Original Music Reviews. Some may say that Jon Herington is a successfully signed artist. His accomplishments include touring and recording in Steely Dan, with his work earning Multiple Grammys in 2001 on the album "Two against Nature," plus he has also toured or played with Phoebe Snow, Bobby Caldwell, Donald Fagen, Boz Scaggs, Bette Midler & others.
Original Music Reviews main requirements for music to be reviewed on this site:
1) must be a CD of Original Music.
2) must have this year's Copyright and/or Published Date on it.
3) the artist is not signed to a Major Label (unsigned) or the CD
is on an small independent label (indie or inde which ever way you spell it).
4) we must think it is worth our time to review it.
"Time on my hands" by Jon Harington is :
1) an original CD.
2) it has 2012 Copyright & Published date.
3) it is his solo project and it's an independent release with no major label ties.
4) I want to review it.
End of debate. It is time for the review to begin.
Time on my hands is the latest independent release from Jon Harington. What stands out the most to me on this CD is the very well thought out lyrics. The music is slightly gritty but it contains safe classic cord structures in it. The songs have a cool upscale New York City taproom bluesy-rock feel to it. The musicians who are on this album are truly experienced career musicians.
Here are some of the song highlights for me:
"Egirl" Has both fun and funny lyrics. The lyrics are catchy and mostly tongue in check about Internet dating. Great use of tech words & phrases. Egirl has an old school rhythm and blues strum vibe musically but has an updated subject. "lets make love by the light of the screen... E girl" "turn on your cookies, throw me a crumb. Unlock your spyware cause here I come."
"I ain't got you" The lyrics include "I got the bed it seems so wide, I've got the extra pillow on the other side..." and "...I got a bird, she can parlezvous, but I ain't got you." The song comes with a great guitar solo. Seamless and flawlessly smooth. And you bet that the rest of the band starts and stops on cue.
"Time on my hands" One third of the tune is basically a solo showcase of Jon Herington's guitar abilities. Fun to listen to but I bet that this song is even better live. Shame that you probably won't be able to see this tune preformed live in a New York City taproom. The guitar solo is smoking. Smoking is banded in all NYC rooms.
Great lyrics. Throughout the CD Time on my hands, the lyrics are well written and crafted to fit each song. Sometimes they are funny, sometimes they are tongue in check, sometimes they are serious, all of the time they are witty thoughts brought to lyrics. These lyrics can go toe to toe with anybody else's lyrics.
Musically speaking, the only thing that would have made me like the songs even more on this body of work; if it had a slightly more experimental attitude from a few of the songs. Musically the songs are mostly written with standard basic cord structures which are overtly the inside core. No one can't go wrong with the basics, however, it would have been nice to hear more of a nuance in the music bed itself to match the creativity of the lyrics.
The musicianship comes as advertised. Professional, tight, and on point. One can tell that all of the musicians on this album are proven veterans with nothing to prove. Everyone in tune and in the groove. No lost or missing parts. The guitar solos are a well done crafty piece of art. Lead in and lead outs work well.
The CD also has a good clear mix. Everything seems to be clear and in it's intended place. Vocals are up front with no sign of bleeding from any of the instruments. Levels seem to be steady and flow. A job well done.
There have been a few music artists who have step out from the shadows and into the spot light went it was time for their future to begin. Some examples are; the guys who were Linda Rondstat's Band before they became known as The Eagles. Luther Vandross broke into the music biz as a background singer for David Bowie, among others. Sheryl Crow sang behind Michael Jackson on tour for years. Speaking of Michael Jackson, his albums "Off the Wall," "Thriller," & "Bad" as well as the song "We Are The World" may not have been the same, if they were not produced by a former touring trumpeter and musical director for Dizzy Gillespie, in the 1950s, named Quincy Jones.
Some may argue that having a taste of success by working with already established artists makes it easy for someone to put forth a good solid album of their own music. I will disagree. I believe that when an artist has been at or near the top of the music mountain in the support of others, it is even harder to stay there. The challenges are different. Especially when the artist moves from the corner of the stage and into the center spotlight. The spotlight may as well be a microscope. The stable familiarity of being the support is moved away and one must be the centered structure. Every lyric and every note then becomes focused under the microscope.
In summary, with my microscope set on the CD "Time On My Hands," it was well worth my time reviewing this fine CD. It is my opinion that Jon Herington can compete lyrically with many of the already established and better known peers he has played with in the past. End of Debate. It is time for his future to begin.
The CD also has a good clear mix. Everything seems to be clear and in it's intended place. Vocals are up front with no sign of bleeding from any of the instruments. Levels seem to be steady and flow. A job well done.
There have been a few music artists who have step out from the shadows and into the spot light went it was time for their future to begin. Some examples are; the guys who were Linda Rondstat's Band before they became known as The Eagles. Luther Vandross broke into the music biz as a background singer for David Bowie, among others. Sheryl Crow sang behind Michael Jackson on tour for years. Speaking of Michael Jackson, his albums "Off the Wall," "Thriller," & "Bad" as well as the song "We Are The World" may not have been the same, if they were not produced by a former touring trumpeter and musical director for Dizzy Gillespie, in the 1950s, named Quincy Jones.
Some may argue that having a taste of success by working with already established artists makes it easy for someone to put forth a good solid album of their own music. I will disagree. I believe that when an artist has been at or near the top of the music mountain in the support of others, it is even harder to stay there. The challenges are different. Especially when the artist moves from the corner of the stage and into the center spotlight. The spotlight may as well be a microscope. The stable familiarity of being the support is moved away and one must be the centered structure. Every lyric and every note then becomes focused under the microscope.
In summary, with my microscope set on the CD "Time On My Hands," it was well worth my time reviewing this fine CD. It is my opinion that Jon Herington can compete lyrically with many of the already established and better known peers he has played with in the past. End of Debate. It is time for his future to begin.
-Alex
Original Music Reviews
Mixed by : SHAM SUNDRA at the OUTPOST New York, NY
except "I ain't got you" & "The bucket song" Mixed by Brian Montgomery Astoria, NY
Mastered by : Brian Gardner
The Jon Herington Band:
JON HERINGTON - VOCALS & GUITAR
DENNIS ESPANTMAN - BASS & VOCALS
FRANK PAGNO - DRUMS & VOCALS
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