Jason Falkner
Can You Still Feel?
Elektra
Who is this mystery melodyman, strolling through the park tossing out pocketfuls of shiny links and segues while singing fervently and flawlessly like it’s second nature? Just when you think you’ve grabbed a chord it takes a tricky turn, just out of reach. This time Jason starts off with a Valentino-style tease track, then cuts in with “Author Unknown” in true troubadour fashion, before soon exploding into a kaleidoscope of guitar and melody, taking over your musical mind with the greatest of ease.
At some and any points the production is lush, rich, edgy, and crunchy, topped with a sugary grit. How can you not like a guy who purposely aims every ooh and ahh dead on, but knows when to lift the heavy hand?
“Revelation” coddles us, like a mother stroking your hair as she tucks you in, though there is a bit of friendly white noise thrown in.
Soon, “My Lucky Day” again unleashes the hoopla and hollerin’, the rousing and the rocking, each melodic swirl taking you further out with a centrifugally connected melody tangent. Once again, Jason’s passionate quest to discover every chord progression, its variations and inherent melodies delights me to no end.
Can You Still Feel? is as thoughtful, intense, varied, and consistently enjoyable as his previous, Presents Author Unknown (which still hasn’t been released long enough to appreciate), and his work with the Grays. Here’s hoping that I have lots of time to enjoy this one over and over again.
