Something In The Water
Charlotte Avenue, 2023
9/10
Listen to Something In The Water
The vocalist Jake Ybarra pens a very memorable debut album here, where his alluring baritone suits the rootsy and diverse sounds emanating from the superb musicians on hand.
“Late November” starts the listen with warm acoustic strumming and Ybarra’s smooth, expressive voice flowing in the melodic, rootsy delivery that benefits much from Billy Thomas’ agile drumming, and “BloodFire” follows with a bit of ruggedness that makes great use of Dow Tomlin’s precise bass.
Halfway through, “Long Winter” makes for a dreamy demeanor thanks to Dane Bryant’s sophisticated keys and the soothing harmony vocals, while “Call Me By My Name” is quite poetic and intimate, where Ybarra’s emotive pipes populate the bare but impactful delivery.
Towards the end, “No Reason Or Right”, a late album highlight, is full of breezy, charming melody that mixes folk and country, and “Silly Little Things” exits with a reflective quality that spotlights David Flint’s meticulous guitar playing.
At just 25 years old, Ybarra possesses a vision much wiser than his years, and his heartfelt, eloquent and mature storytelling parallels the greatness of those he’s influenced by, i.e. Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Lucinda Williams.
Travels well with: Sean Harrison- Halfway From Nashville; Daryl Mosley- Small Town Dreamer