Album Reviews
Movies
Concert Reviews

Top 10
Resources
Contact Us

The roads of the indie music world are littered with well-intentioned, but less than talented artists who have left behind a legacy of sub-par and downright awful recordings.  Every time I pick up such a disc I worry about what I am about to hear.  But this new recording from Minnesota's Jason Gay gives me hope, but in a musical and spiritual sense.

For this album, his second, Gay traveled south to Nashville, put his music in the capable hands of producer Nate Sabin, and ponied up the money necessary to get a first-class recording.  And that is exactly what he got in A Place Called Hope.  But this is not just the product of good production and money; Gay has the talent as a singer, songwriter, and musician to back it up.  

While there are a variety of musical styles throughout the disc, most of it is folk-based pop with a lot of other stuff thrown in.  Phil Madeira is on board with a variety of instruments including his famous B3, and a host of other top-notch studio musicians round out the sound.  Influences such as Mark Heard and Pierce Pettis are evident throughout, and it is perhaps Pettis whom Gay could be most easily compared to, at least in a vocal sense. Pat Terry even comes to mind at times (does anyone remember him?!).  And he tips his hat to Heard in a beautiful cover of "Look Over Your Shoulder." 

There are a few moments when Gay rocks out a bit, including "Hide and Seek," in which he talks about the way in which we hide our true selves from the world around us.  And then he shifts gears to a more folky, country sound in "The Things We Hold Back," with the all too true lines:

 You can't hold back the dark of night
 Lord knows in vain I've seen some try
 Moses held back the Red Sea Water
 Me I hold back more than I oughta
 Some hold back in the face of heaven
 With a neck too stiff to swallow their pride
 Others hold out for the lucky seven
 While they watch their life like a river run dry.

Another rocker comes along in "The Prodigal" with the singer's interesting take on the Biblical story of the prodigal son and the sin of pride: 

 I decided to send you a postcard from the heart of downtown Babylon
 Where all the girls are pretty and the stars are out drinking all night long
 Forget those rumors you heard about me living on handouts
 I'm doing alright, I'm doing just fine, I wish you were here

 I'm thinking I might like to come home for a visit to see you again
 Please leave a light on for me...

The title cut "A Place Called Hope" features a bit of a gospel sound complete with a few backing gospel vocalists.  

In the liner notes, Gay talks about a real place called Hope: a small town in Minnesota.  But he points out that too often we are too busy being other places and doing other things, to rest in the Hope that comes from above. This is the focus of the album, and it gets the job done.  This is the type of indie CD that might get a label to sit up and take notice.  And Gay is a singer/songwriter who certainly has a lot more great music yet to come.

Ken Mueller 2/17/2001