Seems Like Tears Ago

If you dont listen too closely, you could mistake Seems Like Tears Ago -- the second album from country singer Jason James -- as a lost Musicor album from George Jones. Its not just that James uncannily mimics the high-lonesome sound of peak Possum, its that he conjures the same stately blend of lean and lush country that Jones did during the 1960s. Ballads were Jones signature, and James puts a bunch of slow tunes on Seems Like Tears Ago, but he doesnt neglect the swifter tunes that could fill a hardwood honky tonk floor. The self-explanatory Were Gonna Honky Tonk Tonight, the Cajun-flavored Cry on the Bayou, and the two-step I Miss You After All all hearken back to the heyday of hardcore country in the 1960s, right before the music incorporated the snap of Bakersfield twang, and they effectively complement the gorgeous ballads, which are all rendered with a loving touch. What prevents Seems Like Tears Ago from succumbing to pure nostalgia is how James possesses a light touch. Hes reverent, but hes not too precious about the music he loves, which means that Seems Like Tears Ago evokes the past while still seeming fresh. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine