Volume Won
Vega, 2019
8/10
A thriving artist living in Tacoma, Washington, Jacques Gaines has spent much time making commercial music as well as TV and film in recent years, though prior to that he spearheaded the revered Canadian outfit Soul Attorneys in the mid ‘90s.
“Something Wrong With Me” starts the listen with acoustic guitars and soaring vocals from Gaines before a firm beat and layered voices enter the pop-rock formula, and “Countin’ On My Friends, with Rodney Skeritt, brings a soulful influence into the textured hip-hop flavor.
Elsewhere, “Friend For You” recruits a campfire-esque feeling to the upbeat fun, while “I Know That You Want To” offers an anthemic quality to the bluesy guitars, which brings even more variety to the affair.
Near the end, “Ottie Bootie Jello” shifts the listen into electro-pop sounds that are highly danceable, and the emotive rapping versus pretty singing of “Down To You” provides a deep album highlight. “I Am A Stone” ends the record with vocal harmonies and acoustic instrumentation on a poetic and thoughtful conclusion to a very well crafted journey.
A triumphant return indeed, Gaines proves that his creative prowess hasn’t subsided at all during his hiatus from pop music, and might actually be even stronger. Let’s hope that he’ll find more time for projects like this soon, as Volume Won is just what today’s music needed, i.e. more substance.
Travels well with: The Philosopher Kings- One Night Stand; Les Respectables- Sweet Mama