Joshua James
The Sun Is Always Brighter
Intelligent Noise Records
7/10
I’m always surprised when Racket is sent mellow, acoustic-heavy singer-songwriter albums and expect a good, or even a great review. Joshua James must have known my love for alliteration, and that may have given him an edge. The Sun is always brighter is mellow, without being cry-baby music. I started listening to it and immediately thought about pitting James against the prime example of white boy with an acoustic guitar wanna be this generations Bob Dylan: Jason Mraz. After listening to gems like Lord, Devil and Him and You’re the Cocaine, I just wanted to save Ol’ Jesse from any pain and would whomp on Mraz myself. Honest songs about drugs and chicks probably salvaged this from my round filing cabinet. Bastard got me with his solid fuck songwriting. Good job, Jesse James, good job.
-Jonathan Yost