Album Review: Waters Ave S

Having fallen in love to Jurado's later album Rehearsals For Departure, I worked back to this, his debut release. Needless to say, I was not disappointed.

There are some signposts to the direction Jurado would take on his two preceeding LPs, Angel Of May could easily have been lifted from 2000's Ghost Of David LP. It's one of the highlights on the album. Elsewhere Independent, proves that Jurado was an incredibly mature songwriter on his debut release ("I don't need you anymore / I'm independent there's nothing to say / I don't need you anymore / I'm independent don't you walk away").

Don't expect many laughs on the album, Jurado is at his most melancholy on some of the tracks. For any long time fans, this will come as no surprise. Unrequited love is an underlying thread on the LP ("I'm standing on the top of the world looking at a girl / who doesn't notice me" - Halo Friendly).

Elsewhere on the album, Jurado proves himself to be (at times) every bit as good as songwriter as Bob Dylan. Yuma, AZ is as good a song as Jurado has yet to write, and is reminiscent of Blood On The Tracks-era Dylan.

If like me, you were slightly disappointed by Jurado's latest offering I Break Chairs due to its abandonment of his acoustic style, there will be a few tracks here that will dishearten you. The Joke Is Over plods along at a fair pace, but is not a fair reflection of Jurado's talent.

The album concludes with the title track which closes with the line, "You used to kiss me on the bus and now / I'll walk these streets alone / By myself." With music of this quality, he won't be alone for long.