Jeremy Toback – Review

Jeremy Toback

(Cherrydisc)
by Dana Buoniconti

A name to remember. Jeremy Toback is a major talent, a singer-songwriter working within the pop context, but blessed with a sense of grace and style all his own. I first became aware of Toback through his involvement in Brad (a one-shot collaboration with Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard and Satchel members Shawn Smith and Regan Hagar) in which he played bass and contributed the brilliant and darkly ethereal “Down.” Since then, he has been the focus of a major-label bidding frenzy (a deal was inked with RCA), and I have eagerly awaited a solo effort.

It’s been said that good things come to those who wait, and Toback’s recently released seven-song EP certainly supports that adage. Musically, his songs have a dreamy, spiritual quality; lyrically, they are somewhat poetic, focusing on feelings or situations left open to interpretation. Toback possesses a voice similar to Smith’s, in that it often moves over the melody in such a way that no matter what lyrics are being sung, there’s an emotional resonance. His use of bass chords also creates unique musical textures.

Highlights include the melancholy-tinged, “When She Calls Me Over,” and the serene and hopeful, “Blind Love.” The most impressive track, though, is “The Word Behind Words,” a gorgeously moving ballad. With a soaring chorus, it’s a song that would fit perfectly in a poignant film scene; imagine the music swelling over an affecting visual. With an EP that hints of amazing things to come, he is, without question, an artist to watch.