Jeremy Jay’s “A Place Where We Could Go” made my 2008 year-end best albums list. I noted then, as an aside: “If Jeremy Jay had a better backing band, I could see this guy putting out full-tilt hum-dinger of a record in the near future.” Well Jeremy Jay has made good on his far better executed sophomore record, “Slow Dance”, released recently on K Records. Even more than on the previous album, I find “Slow Dance” oddly affecting with his killer off-kilter phrasing and slow-burn international high-plains drifter charm. Furthermore, I really enjoyed seeing him live.

I am actually pretty shocked that he isn’t being touted more loudly especially since Jeremy Jay is based out of LA, which, as far as I can tell, isn’t exactly teeming with great bands these days, and therefore, I imagine, would rise pretty quickly in a shallow field. Whatever the case, I hope “Slow Dance” gets its due so that Jeremy Jay returns soon to New York for a victory lap or two.

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Download: Jeremy Jay – Slow Dance (Live)