Waiting For My Rocket to Come

ボブ・ディラン、デイヴ・マシューズ、ポーラ・コール、ジュエル、デヴィッド・グレイ等、錚々たるアーティストのオープニング・アクトを飾ってきたその実力が物語る、印象的且つ衝撃的なヴォーカル・センス！一度聴いたら引き込まれるメロディ・ラインをベースとしたPOPソングは、レゲエ/AOR/ジャズの影響も感じられ、ヴァラエティ豊かなソング・ライティング力を持ち合わせた超大型新人、ジェイソン・ムラーズのデビュー・アルバム。

Jason Mraz's Waiting for My Rocket to Come is a two-part invention. The first level is that of a young, almost compelling, singer/songwriter. Mraz has a nice voice, perhaps a little too articulated at times, which manages to mostly avoid the histrionic despite a predilection towards show tuney melodic turns. His voice tumbles out on top of folk-reggae rhythms that will probably sound a bit dated with time, but his vocals are filled with enough internal rhythms and rhymes to keep them interesting. Lyrically, Mraz relies on cliche to a certain degree, but does so with an earnestness that allows for believability and an eye for imagery that succeeds often enough to suggest that he knows what he's doing. The second level of Waiting for My Rocket to Come is the production of John Alagia, whose work has enhanced other similar folk-pop fair, including the Dave Matthews Band and O.A.R. His work with Mraz is, at its best, transparent, filling out the songs with subtle and glossy production and instrumentation. Reflections of banjos, organs, mellotrons, lap steels, ukuleles, and others peak out through the shine of the tunes, creating an impact too rich to be written off as lite. ~ Jesse Jarnow

ヴァージニア出身。NYでバスキング修行のあと、コーヒー・ハウス・シーンのメッカ、サンディエゴでの活躍がきっかけでデビューしたのがこのジェイソン・マーズ。伝統的なシンガー・ソングライター・マナーとリズミックな要素を内包したヴォーカルが、アコースティックな響きを持ったサウンドと相性バツグン。と思ったら、プロデュースはデイヴ・マシューズ・バンドの仕事で有名なジョン・アレジア。納得の好作です。
bounce (C)木村 優宏