Customer Reviews

Secret Sun

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jessie Harris is the type of intelligent, literate songwriter that too often goes unappreciated in today's noisy pop world. With his work with Norah Jones having earned him some accolades (and hopefully a lot of cash), he should get some well-deserved attention for his latest project with his band, The Ferdinandos.
"The Secret Sun" is not "Don't Know Why 2", and that is a good thing. Rather than repeat the songs he wrote for Norah, Jesse returns to guitar based tunes, and works in a number of styles. Some great rock songs ("All My Life" and You Were On My Mind" are both excellent, with uptempo beats, and excellent use of the Ferdinandos rhythm section) share space with traditional blues (the classic "Roberta"), and the whole program works incredibly well. The jazz stylings that were prevalent on "Don't Know Why" do make a number of appearances here, and "You The Queen" a gorgeous love song written in hushed tones is as good as anything from the Norah project.
Norah does make a visit, playing piano and sharing vocal duties on "What Makes You" - the song sounds so warm, you can tell that the two principal musicians are enjoying recording with each other. It's a gem of a song, and along with the graceful melody of "How" make up the best tracks on this disc.
Harris is a great songwriter and a very good musician, and this disc will hopefully gather him as much attention for his playing that his writing got him for "Come What May". If you want to discover a fresh talent with incredible songwriting skills, this is worth the purchase.

There are a handful of records that I know I can always call on for sustenance, and The Secret Sun joins the rest of Jessie Harris and the Ferdinando's records in this small treasured group. For me, Jessie's songwriting evokes the kinds of images and memories that define life. Musically, this is a beautiful band of friends, highly evolved, with heart and soul. Imagine The Band, but with 1000 years of collective playing experience. They know how to dress it up, but the way that they dress down is so nice.

Sonically it is a treat. Though it sounds great in the car, give it some time on a good system. It's one of the great rock recordings. The mix... ah, lookout! Kenny's drumming and Tony's guitar and singing are far in, and Tim's a find. A low frequency Zen-master. And on this recording, there are so many shades to Jessie's singing.

Of course I hope that these guys make it, but mostly I hope that they continue to record together. It gives me something to look forward to!

There are folks who write songs and then there are craftsmen. Jesse Harris has not only studied his craft (I hear Tin Pan Alley all over this record), but he's brought it to a new place. His voice is gentle and earnest, and charming to the core. Not some polished up glamour album, this work allows you to see the scratches on the Dobro, and hear a little rattle on the snare drum. It feels healthy and real as if we're hanging out in the songwriter's loft apartment.

I strongly recommend this album to those who aren't looking to find Nora Jones in the guise of a man, but who are willing to see what we're really missing in modern American music. Talented songwriters with classy simplicity and studied craftsmanship.

Hunt down the 1995 album "Once Blue" featuring Jesse and Rebecca Harris...brilliant.

Stepping out of the shadow of Norah Jones, Jesse Harris creates a varied set of midtempo pop that is marked by a strong mix of songs. The opener, "Just a Photograph," has a distinctive melody. The title tune is a jangly slow tune with Tony Scherr's electric guitar churning throughout. "Long Way from Home" is a retro-shuffle with Kenny Wollesen's percussive brushes giving it a smoky lounge feel. "All My Life" is a midtempo rocker with complete with Harris' snarl on vocals. One of my favorites is the beautiful soft melody Jesse shares with Norah Jones, "But if you feel the way that I feel, don't hide it; don't conceal it from me." "How?" is a soft slow tune with Jesse's acoustic guitar and Wollesen's cymbals & brushes making it sound like a lazy summer day. "You Were On My Mind" is a great little midtempo rocker with another distinctive melody, "I was wrong to believe I could go & be free." "If You Won't" has a soft wispy melody that might appeal to Ms. Jones. Harris is quite an original melodist as the haunting "The Other Road" demonstrates, one of those unforgettable lovely tracks. The CD's final track, "You, the Queen" is a soft brush & cymbal melody with a good lyric, "You are the bird of paradise on a gale at dawn." Harris is certainly a stronger songwriter than singer, but his material is SO strong and his band gives him such great support that he has created a strong set that wears better with repeated listening. "The Secret Sun" is one of the great finds of 2003! Enjoy!

This album, and Jesse Harris in general, remind me of an easy afternoon, a relaxed Sunday morning when all you have to do is sip some coffee hang out with the pets and enjoy life! Found out about him because of Norah Jones, and ever since the first time i heard him i was hooked, when you hear his music you know you are hearing quality, a smooth quality that will keep me buying his music ,hopefully for years and years to come!

It's not really fair to compare Jesse Harris and his band with the now famous Norah Jones who recorded them. She's got a very different, smoky, sultry voice. This album is sharp and the lyrics are just as poeticly loopy as anything Harris has written before. I've always been more interested in the words than the singing so I enjoyed it.

4 stars out of 5 - ...Harris and his gang aren't afraid to crank up the amps and let their hair down. Terrific...Uncut (8/03, p.99) - 4 stars out of 5 - ...Spanning the panoply of American roots styles with a healthy troubadour tendency and a delivery as effortless as Neil Young or Ryan Adams....An album that establishes Harris as one of the finest contemporary US songwriters to emerge in recent years...Magnet (9/03, p.98)

The pursuit of perfection in even the best studio recordings can sometimes squeeze the life out of the music. This does not happen here. Jesse Harris, his band and related musicians like Norah Jones kind of pick up where Neil Young & Crazy Horse leave off, providing a spontaneous, "loose" sound that is actually quite demanding of the musicians...and equally demanding of the engineers and producers not to "fix." The first song, "Just a Photograph" is a good example and sets the tone for the album. Like a good Neil Young & Crazy Horse song or even a jazz improv session, the energy and loose/tight quality builds as it goes along until by the kind of abrupt end of the song, all you want to do is go back and listen to it again...except that the next song, "The Secret Sun," is so good that you give in and let Harris be your guide through a nice range of lyrical folk tunes and rocking numbers. This guy is a very talented songwriter and the musicians playing with him are something special.

Oh my. I was disappointed. He should keep to the songwriting, but leave the singing to Norah.