• Band / Artist : Jacob Jeffries Band – mySpace
• Genre : Rock / Pop
• Sample Track Download : Fairfax Diner
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 9 out of 10

It was immediately apparent upon hearing the Jacob Jeffries Band (JJB) for the first time, that here was something very special. I have my friends over at the BinaryStarcast podcast for steering me in JJB’s general direction. It wasn’t long after here them for the first time, that I was seeking some review material and I was not disappointed. First time around I secured a pre-release EP, which later morphed into what we have here. This is the first of three EP releases. These 5 tracks comprise of acoustic tracks, with the second EP being made up of studio material and the third EP consisting of live material.

This EP, is slightly more laid back than some of the other JJB material I’ve heard. Keep an ear out for the fantastic track Wonderful, probably coming on the next EP. The 5 tracks here are more sedate and mellow, but don’t let that fool you, the vocal performance of Jacob Jeffries is sensational and at times electrifying. The title track opens with piano and immediately George Michael’s track “Mother’s Pride” came to mind. The more the track unfolded, the more this similarity burned into my subconscious. No matter your views on George Michael as a person, there’s no denying his Listen Without Prejudice album will go down as a classic, and I think this EP sows the seeds for JJB to go onto similarly great things.

“Fairfax Diner” is a pleasant track, but I can’t help but feel it would have been more at home on an album, rather than an EP. It has a wonderful feel to it, but I just feel it would work much better with some more content around it. “And I Say” also has a strong George Michael feel to it and I can’t help but wonder if this is more intentional, rather than accidental. Not that I’m hinting at plagiarism, as this track more than stands up on it’s own two feet, it’s just I can’t help but wonder if Jacob has come across this album in his musical travels.

“Old Friend” very much leads the album to a near conclusion. It’s hard to quantify, but this is very much a track that you expect on the tail end of a release. My only question was how is this EP going to end? In the end, “Getting There” the final track, draws the EP to an end in style.

Conclusion : This isn’t the EP I was expecting as I’d heard a few more upbeat and pumping tracks from JJB. However I was pleasantly surprised. The thing that is most apparent, apart from the great music is the vocals of Jacob Jeffries. Here lies a talent that should scorch a path to the top. Great things start with a first step and this is one helluva step.