Jonathan Inc.

I think not having a proper winter saps Vancouverites of a certain fury that’s occasionally necessary in appealing music. But let’s not be prejudiced and just take this album for what it is, which is a sad, sonically sombre treatise on the ups and down of singer-songwriter Jonathon Anderson’s life. The man fancies himself a dream pop artist, producing ambient folk, but when it really comes down to it, he basically sounds like less show off-y Dave Matthews, all the way down to his acoustic-electronic crescendos fading off into whispers. Now Mr. Matthews and I don’t get along very well inside my head, mostly because a lot of his fans look like Mountain Equipment Co-op photocopies of each other and I sadly, disappointingly live for the wild thrill of diversity tearing down the highway at twice the speed limit. Either that or stuff so sad it makes your tears weep. That said, both Matthews and Anderson have soothing voices, useful when things get stressful, and Anderson entirely avoids sounding too much like Peter Gabriel, unlike the big rock star. So in its own way, this record is perfect for love hangovers, and, why not, those brought on by whiskey as well. The tracks here blend from one to the other in a fairly anonymous, or shall we say "flowing” way, but the overall sound is pleasant. Also, compared to the DM Band, Jonathon Inc. has a more feminine appeal; it’s music for introverted girls as well as boys. If you happen to fit that bill and desperately wish for escape, my condolences, but maybe this will help a little in the meantime.