Jeremy Fisher: Mint Juleps
You know you have songwriting talent when your original songs blend seamlessly with classic covers. On Jeremy Fisher’s latest album, Mint Juleps, it can be hard to tell which of the twelve songs are new and which are covers. The Ottawa-based singer-songwriter had five new songs written, so to round out the rest of his fifth album, he recorded seven covers that he often performs in concert. It resulted in a folk album with a heavy country twang, a record that pairs well with a relaxing summer afternoon. The whole album has an authentic feeling, which Fisher attributes to recording live on the studio floor.
In truly Canadian style, Fisher selected the bilingual song “I Lost My Baby” originally by Jean Leloup to cover and the result is more enjoyable than the original. I found myself listening to this one on repeat, half so that I could translate the French part and half because I just wanted to hear the song over and over. “Bleed a Little Tonight” is a cover of Canadian ‘90s alternative band The Lowest of the Low. Keeping with fellow Canadians, Fisher covered Gordon Lightfoot’s “Spin Spin.” He also covers “Gone,” originally by John Hiatt, which you may recognize from an insurance commercial. ”Canned Goods” is a Greg Brown cover and “Highway One” was originally by Murray McLauchlan. Each of the songs do justice to the originals and blend well with his originals.
“Built to Last,” a twang-y song about riding a bike and living a simple life, and “Tetris Song,” a love song that compares a significant other’s arrival to the dropping of a Tetris block, are clever. The songwriting on the new songs exceeds some of the covers, which I found surprising as I tried to figure out the covers I could not immediately identify. Fisher is clearly a gifted songwriter and lyricist, worthy of the two Juno (Canadian Grammys) nominated he has received. To get a little taste of the album and Fisher’s talent, give the MP3 for “Built to Last” below a try. If you like your folk with a country influence, some twang, a little harmonica, and a touch of banjo, this album is for you.
Rating: 8.8/10
MP3: Jeremy Fisher “Built to Last”
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Jeremy Fisher: Mint Juleps
