Here We Are
Self-Released, 2020
9/10
A Philadelphia singer-songwriter and guitarist who’s inspired by the work of Jason Isbell and Robert Hunter, this first solo album from Jay Carlis brings us an intimate and very skilled take on Americana where Ross Bellenoit contributes a variety of instruments alongside plenty of other Philly musicians.
Carlis starts the listen with the warm, acoustic strumming of “Unwind”, as his soulful, smooth pipes enter the breezy Americana that benefits from both banjo and organs, and “Change My Mind” follows with a rootsy appeal as backing vocals from Brittany Ann Tranbaugh complement the inviting atmosphere.
Elsewhere, Maura Dwyer’s fiddle prowess makes an impact on the reflective “Every Passing Day”, while “Writing On The Wall” is a lush and very dynamic display of folk-friendly song craft that’s never predictable and certainly timeless.
The finals 2 songs are among the best, and include Katie Barbato’s gripping vocals alongside Carlis’ emotive delivery on the soaring “Fire And Flood”, and “Hey Juniper” exits the listen with a lullaby quality as the eloquent love song finishes the listen on a very high note.
Carlis spends most of his music focus as lead singer and principal songwriter for The Barrel Fires, a Philly rock band, but let’s hope he still finds time to explore his more rural musical interests, cause he’ got a knack for the genre and even incorporates some of the spirit from his formative years admiring The Grateful Dead into this excellent debut.
Travels well with: Ross Bellenoit- Where Does The Light Go?; RB Morris- Going Back To The Sky