| Jake Smith - Real (2007) |
| Written by Catherine | |
| Tuesday, 11 March 2008 17:44 | |
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Fusion is an important facet of Louisiana culture, so it's no wonder New Orleans native Jake Smith fuses together rock, soul, blues and R&B for his debut album Real. He continues to fuse bleak life experiences in his lyrics, with upbeat, energetic rhythms to create an honest, relatable debut.
It seems as if more and more new artists are steering clear of the cliché “rock and roll” sound in their music, trying to provide an alternative to loud, fast, and heavy beats. Jake Smith is no different. Signed to Rocketown Records in early 2007, he brings his smooth, cool voice to the world though his debut album, Real. Coming from New Orleans, Jake uses an acoustic sound reflective of music we’ve all heard from the Louisiana town. Intertwining lyrics inspired by the life-altering blows that have hit him, the songs on Real create a fresh, new sound for the Contemporary Christian industry. The first song is a great introduction to Jake. “Get Up” might describe the advice he personally took after not only surviving Hurricane Katrina, but also a drunk-driving accident and the news that both of his parents were diagnosed with cancer. The quick, upbeat sound is a toe-tapper and by the end of the song you’ll be encouraged to “make a change so you won’t have a could-have-been life.” “Get Up” heads right into the single from the album, “This is Certain.” Named for the last line of the song, it is a promise by Jake that whatever you are going through, “it will get better.” He expresses that he doesn’t understand it, but he knows that “after the rain, the sun will shine and all will be made new again.” With the amount of cloudy days in Jake’s life, who better to believe? Another fun-sounding song is “Can’t Save Your Soul.” Jake sings of the hypothetical men and women who spend their money on things that don’t matter. To those people, he lets them know that “it just makes your casket heavy.” “Run” is one of the album’s rare occurrences of slowing down. Possibly written for someone specific, the lyrics teach everyone that though Jesus can heal, we have to run, take in what we see, and live like tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Jake’s one-of-a-kind vocals help make this song a raw expression of emotion, helping him become one of the most real artists in the industry. If that isn’t enough proof for you, Jake’s outro should be. Summing up the whole theme of the album in a minute and a half, he calls his listeners out by first saying that he knows we’ll hear only what we want to (“that’s what we all do”). He continues by leaving his fans with the statement: “Everything in life is fading. Only one thing will ever rise above, that’s love.” Jake Smith’s Real isn’t just for his fans, and it certainly isn’t just for Christians. His cool vocals appeal to fans of all music, and his lyrics have the potential to hit the hearts of everyone. If you’re looking for something real, there’s no better place to look than the debut album of one of the most real artists today, so appropriately named Real. |
