Customer Reviews

Jamie Walters

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Fresh from his stint on another Fox drama (1992's short-lived The Heights)Jamie Walters agreed to a stint as working-class musician/handyman Ray Pruitt on the flagship Beverly Hills 90210, then trying to regroup after a rough transition into the college years which was enhanced by the recent departure of original cast member Shannen Doherty.

Walters was the house band at the newly opened Peach Pit afterdark and was supposed to be a soulful new face for the viewing audience to fall in love with. Indeed, it worked until the 'abusive boyfriend' scripting prompted a decrease in touring audiences because people were so turned off by the direction of the show, and confused the character with the actor.

Although Walters was pointedly nothing like his on-screen persona (and expressed frustration with both the confusion, and the plot's glamourization of domestic violence)the conflict was only resolved after he gave notice of permanently leaving the show.

Unfortunately, the interim publicity hurt this record (despite being promoted heavily on the afforementioned show) and sales were lower than expected.

It's really a shame too, because with a good plotline both Walter's music career and this record really could have sold proverbial hotcakes. Melding adult contemporary with alternative rock stylings, Walter's crooning also faintly invokes Chris Isaack and (farther back) Roy Orbison. Unlike a lot of the show music from this same time period, it actually could be classified as collegiate selection.

Long before the smokey voices of singers like John Mayer and Howie Day, there was Jamie Walters. Jamie's adult contemporary tunes spearheaded the growth in popularity for the show 90210 during the early 90's. After a tough break with his character being given the role of an abuser, his popularity dwindled as his record sales dropped as well. This album managed to reach gold status (500,000), but it could have sold so much more with more promotional footwork. The album plays out like this:

1. Hold On- 9/10 rating
This was the big single that garnered success on radio formats across the country. It was also heavily performed on 90210. This is a great slow song that anyone can relate to.

2. The Comfort Of Strangers- 9/10
Another great song from Jamie. Good hook and and a strong bridge.

3. The Distance- 8/10
Another nice ballad from Jamie, great background vocals at the end of this song.

4. Why- 9/10
Great uptempo song, Jamie shares the singing duties on this track with Zachary Throne, a former co-star of Jamie's on the short-lived Fox program "The Heights" (The theme song for that show, "How Do You Talk To An Angel" was a smash on the radio and was sung by Jamie Walters)

5. Drive Me- 7/10
Good song, not one of the best on the album, but still good.

6. Neutral Ground- 7/10
Another good song, uptempo, the background vocals on this song become annoying though.

7. I Know The Game- 8/10
Good slow song, catchy chorus with a strong bridge.

8. Release Me- 6/10
Probably the worst song on the album. This tune is a remake of an old song that Jamie should have never redone in the first place.

9. No Rhyme, No Reason- 8/10
Wonderful lyrics on this tune.

10. Perfect World- 10/10
Best song on the album. Wonderful lyrics with a soothing guitar echoing throughout. One of my top ten favorites of all time.

Overall, this is a gorgeous debut from Jamie Walters. For those of you who are interested in hearing more newer material from Jamie, he has recently independently released an album entitled "Believed" which showcases his maturity as an artist. His second album "Ride" is also definitely worth picking up. Jamie may not be seen on television anymore, but his music will forever live on in the hearts of his fans.

Long before the smokey voices of singers like John Mayer and Howie Day, there was Jamie Walters. Jamie's adult contemporary tunes spearheaded the growth in popularity for the show 90210 during the early 90's. After a tough break with his character being given the role of an abuser, his popularity dwindled as his record sales dropped as well. This album managed to reach gold status (500,000), but it could have sold so much more with more promotional footwork. The album plays out like this:

1. Hold On- 9/10 rating
This was the big single that garnered success on radio formats across the country. It was also heavily performed on 90210. This is a great slow song that anyone can relate to.

2. The Comfort Of Strangers- 9/10
Another great song from Jamie. Good hook and and a strong bridge.

3. The Distance- 8/10
Another nice ballad from Jamie, great background vocals at the end of this song.

4. Why- 9/10
Great uptempo song, Jamie shares the singing duties on this track with Zachary Throne, a former co-star of Jamie's on the short-lived Fox program "The Heights" (The theme song for that show, "How Do You Talk To An Angel" was a smash on the radio and was sung by Jamie Walters)

5. Drive Me- 7/10
Good song, not one of the best on the album, but still good.

6. Neutral Ground- 7/10
Another good song, uptempo, the background vocals on this song become annoying though.

7. I Know The Game- 8/10
Good slow song, catchy chorus with a strong bridge.

8. Release Me- 6/10
Probably the worst song on the album. This tune is a remake of an old song that Jamie should have never redone in the first place.

9. No Rhyme, No Reason- 8/10
Wonderful lyrics on this tune.

10. Perfect World- 10/10
Best song on the album. Wonderful lyrics with a soothing guitar echoing throughout. One of my top ten favorites of all time.

Overall, this is a gorgeous debut from Jamie Walters. For those of you who are interested in hearing more newer material from Jamie, he has recently independently released an album entitled "Believed" which showcases his maturity as an artist. His second album "Ride" is also definitely worth picking up. Jamie may not be seen on television anymore, but his music will forever live on in the hearts of his fans.

This is still one of my favorite albums of the mid-'90s. I didn't really like his song with the Heights from a few years back, but he stands out more on his own with this album. Hold On was the major hit on this album, but the rest of the album is solid with it being more rockier on a number of songs. His second effort didn't attract as much noise as the first, but it showed his talents a lot more. This album may have been the lead in to why artists like Ryan Cabrera, John Mayer, Gavin DeGraw and Howie Day are popular today. An emphasis on strong song structure, songwriting and more toward the song itself than image. So we have to credit Jamie for this current music trend now.

This is one album destined for cult status. If you are into old time rock and roll or bittersweet love songs then this is the album you have been waiting for. It initially grabs you with "Hold On" works into "Neutral Ground" and finally ends with the tear jerking "Perfect World." Because of the old-time feel of the music and lyrics I can guarantee that nearly everyone will love this piece of music history

I have loved Jamie Walters for years, his music is great, I wish he had more CD's!

My previous review wasn't descriptive enough.This is one great cd! Jaime is sadly underrated.This cd is on my listen to often list.
The songs range from touching and romantic to rocking to thoughtful . Jamie has a voice I really love and he seems to change it to fit the mood of each song. His voice is great.
I am going to get his other cds now.
He is talented. I hope he makes a comeback.
It is so unfair that he isn't in the spotlight like he was in his 90210 days.

This is a great album, that got mixed reviews when it was released back in 94. It was a moderate hit selling over a million copies world-wide, but you can't help and get the feeling that it was a bit over-hyped. The songs on the album are all awesome, but the real gem on the album is The Comfort of Strangers. It's too bad this recording wasn't taken seriosly, but what can you expect when you play it on 90210? Jamie is currently working on some new music, very different from the one on this album. Expect to hear about Jamie and his band elco. soon.

I really think this is a great album. Jamie is a really great singer. I first heard him on 90210 and decided I had to have the album. I really love the song "Hold On" but they're all great. This cd is really worth it!

While I think Jamie improved with "Ride", this CD is definitely better than it gets credit for being. "Hold On" is a lovely love song, "Why" (co-written and performed with Zachary Throne; record an album, you!) rocks and is probably my favorite track, and "Neutral Ground" and the Graham Parker cover "Release Me" are also great songs. The rest of the album is copasetic, too. Check it out.