Jaymay - Autumn Fallin’
Fallin’ For An Ending
Who needs a Dear John letter when you get a whole album to remind you of your faults? At least that’s New York anti-folkstress Jaymay’s approach on her debut break-up release Autumn Fallin’; a dizzying scrutiny of an affair gone sour told thru the sweetest of heartfelt vocals. And if she has any say to it, pop is the new attitude in jazz.
Much of the album is spent pining over what other people must have thought in those crumbled situations; do you miss me, did you cry, etc. But it’s the personal moments that play to her potential. What works best for her is when she channels the sultry of Feist with the kick-back of Jack Johnson as she does so often on Autumn Fallin’. Bluesy island groove ‘Sea Green, See Blue’ flows with such a spirit as does the conversationally brilliant ten minute waltz ‘You’d Rather Run’ where she declares “I never loved you enough to hate you.” And so goes much of Jaymay’s emotional paradox of I love you - don’t touch me - so how do you feel about that metaphors. It’s nothing new, but she does so with style and mood that even the likes of Feist has yet to figure out.
Little here stretches her vox though to more than pillow talk and whispers; albeit beautiful at times. And unspeakably over stylized moments like the ‘30s jazz hands of ‘Hard to Say’ play as gimmicky. Note to any would be artist: never impersonate an instrument. It was silly when Bobby Mcferrin did it twenty years ago and just as asinine now. Buy a kazoo. But if you can look past her moments of uncontrollable glee, debuted heartache never sounded this great. Jaymay offers much ado to where jazz and pop have merged at today and Autmun Fallin’ is a moving display for a girl just getting warmed up.
Sean Kendall
