Jared Lekites “Looking For Diamonds X”
Jared Lekites is a singer/songwriter based in Oklahoma City with a style that’s part Paul McCartney and part James Taylor. This was Jared’s 2010 debut, but with plenty of time during the COVID-19 lockdown, he reworks and re-recorded many tracks here plus a bunch more. “Love That Lasts” opens with gentle harmonies comparable to Brian Wilson’s balladry and the title track boasts a great opening riff and a catchy verse that carries you along with a “bop-bop” backing rhythm in the chorus.
The variety of musical textures and instrumentation is impressive on “Electric Car Ballet” and “Let Your Hair Down (Once In A While).” In addition, the full-length version of the album includes the singles Jared recently finished gem “Freebird” and some great covers; McCartney’s “Temporary Secretary” and The Beach Boys underrated “I’d Love Just Once To See You.” Highly Recommended.
Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts “Nowhere to Go but Everywhere”
Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts continue to write hook-filled melodies that made their Wicked Cool Records debut a top ten album last year. The gentle opener “Only A Dream” sets the bittersweet tone with crisp vocals that foreshadows the theme ahead. Ryan has a real love of music’s past and “Oh No” featuring Key Hanley demonstrates this by naming a bevy of his favorite album titles. Similarly “Jesus & John Lennon” name-checks some more, with a mild country-pop rhythm.
The album finally shows some bounce with “Out of My League,” a fun tune about getting that pretty girl, and the follow-up “Let’s Go Slow” is a mid-tempo tune about that first date. Next, “Can I Get an Amen” seems to recall Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive” in the melody. While there is no filler, the band feels like its playing safe here. After the upbeat “Newcastle Charm” it may lull you to sleep with the next few tunes. And while the last tracks “We Gave It Hell” and “Pick Yourself Up” complete the love-lost song cycle, the lyrics feel rote and predictable. Still, it’s a good collection of songs that deserves to be heard.
