Drum Media 8 October 2002 drum.cd.reviews

JamisonYoung

Shifting Sands Of A Blue Car

Nautilus

...There is a great imagination at work on Shifting Sands. Produced by the impeccable Tim Powles, Young has achieved a minor masterpiece in the mould of Badly Drawn Boy or a solo David McComb. There is a lot of space and mood around Young’s delicate songs. Based around a nylon string guitar, the songs are brought to life by a well-rounded studio approach and swag of quite sad songs.

...One of the highlights on the album is Crush, a languid and lingering affair. Memories Child wouldn’t sound out of place on a Steve Kilbey solo album. Its linear approach is more poetical than empowering. What Jamison lacks in vocal delivery he makes up for interesting lyrics and a clever studio approach. His vocal delivery has a strong effect even in its minimal delivery. Top Of The Hill is a perfect example of this with some of the verses whispered. There is some wonderful textured programming here.

...Imagine The Triffids, The The and Steve Kilbey rolled into one audio companion and thats perhaps one way of describing Jamison’s album. Live On The Moon is an abstract piece, which veers from the depressing to the queer. The use of occasional trumpet on songs like Cold World gives the album an even more interesting inward reflection. There is a dark mood too much of this material, yet some of the production drags a sense of humour from some of these musical forays.

...There are a couple of songs here that would sound great on radio and Jamison’s voice has a great warm buttery effect on the senses. Shifting Sands Of A Blue Car is a great first album by a relatively unknown artist. Something to be proud of.

SEBASTIAN SKEET