Calgary’s The Jamies are competent - there’s a blend of immediate pop (“Little Bird”), retro rhythm (“Secret Boyfriends”) and funky junkers (“Practicing Mistakes”) that doesn’t really jump out at you, but isn’t offensive, either. What the disc does have going for it is its diversity, the 10 songs are upbeat, mid-tempo and everything in between, and are all a great showcase for the vocal stylings of Jamie Gould, who has at times a country twang and a soulful, breathy coo that would send Neko Case and Sass Jordan into a blushing contest (especially on the mid-tempo “Lost & Found”). The thing is, the music is technically fine but overall nothing new. It’s that tough call - do you reward something for being just fine or do you ask for more? In the case of The Jamies, it’s all it needs to be. Your new favourite bar band?

Published in Volume 68, Number 7 of The Uniter (October 16, 2013)