Reverend JJ reflects strengths on solo acoustic CD Naked

Reverend JJ has recently released his CD Naked, and it is appropriately named. Stripped down to voice, acoustic guitar, and harmonica, Reverend JJ bares all, emotionally speaking. These songs have so solid in their story arcs and in their sonic structures that you can envision a very busy Reverend JJ carving them out of the many times he exposed them to many different audiences.

“Mostly Innocent Kiss” opens this CD with swaggering bluesy harmonica and acoustic guitar flair. JJ, also known as The Reverend, plays some splendid acoustic guitar here and the largeness of his melodies should make him a hero to fans of the acoustic solo format. He blows enough harp notes to sail a large ship. It’s the closest you can get to a wall out sound from one or two instruments.

“Dagobah” is a whirling dervish of harp shots and brisk, feisty rhythm guitar on the acoustic. JJ’s harp blows like a train whistle announcing the arrival of an old stream engine, letting you know that something really huge is powerful is coming around the bend. Here, JJ’s vocal is a smooth blend of hippie cool and rock and roll swagger. It that seems a contradiction, it is not . JJ’s attitude comes off as peaceful, accepting, and adjusted to the world. His vocal belt, however, into his microphone, has clearly been honed by many years of singing over the din of noisy bar patrons. That gives me power when he sings.

“Empty Bottle Of Booze” informs the listener right off the bat it’s going to be a mournful, reflective song. Its opening notes just have that way of foreshadowing a sad ending, building up to it in greater melancholy as it goes along. The songwriter is singing about a time he had his heart broken. His vocal opens up a side of tender emotion not heard to this point in his CD. The harp cries out like a family pet who senses there’s been a death in the family. It’s clear JJ is overwhelmed with feeling, right up to his sad, sudden, finish.

“2:52” is marked by a tight rhythmic pattern in the guitar and by an anthem like vocal shout. “Dirty Man” is a slow drawl of a blues song. JJ wrings emotion out of this tune but it’s his casual, smooth vocal application, draping his drawl over that snappy chord progression that tugs on the ear with an indefinable gravity.

“Homeless Guy” is a drunken hoot song, the kind you make up in a pub with a bunch of friends or co-workers who are equally drunk. In it, JJ shouts at a homeless guy to “get out of my yard, homeless guy.” It all has a faint similarity to the lyrical antics of the Dropkick Murphy. Only Boston pub musicians could get away with turning drunken speak into a song. Not to say it’s totally spontaneous. The Reverend JJ has obviously spent time crafting the dynamics and chord progression into a force of nature.

“Everyday Blues” continues this barroom quality, of performing as a one man show and dispensing his observational wit. “Take A Bottle Down” too could be a fun sing along. Bouncy chords make it a winsome, likable thing to clap to.

“Almost Lost” is a rugged reflection of not knowing one’s place in the world. JJ strums this one for all he’s worth, and he sings with an energy like there’s no tomorrow. Pure emotion marks JJ’s belt on this one. He means business, and he forces this listener to follow along to see what he’s so agitated about.

Closing out with “North Carolina,” JJ mellows it out with his smoky vocal expressing a sad departures This singer is clearly missing his love. You can hear it in his voice, and JJ’s ability to put his emotional state across in his inflections and tones has been honed to perfection.

Naked is a good document of what Reverend JJ can do with his only voice, acoustic guitar, harp.

www.reverendjj.com