Place in my stereo

SET THE MOOD ~ David Jordan

I'd got my first taste of David Jordan through “Popjustice.com” (my number one resource for pop news!), and while the vocals on his debut single “Place in my Heart” were impressive, the song itself didn’t sit well with me. All I can say is, thank the good lord for MySpace and its album samplers :P

What initially struck me about Jordan is that at times he sounds spookily like Terence Trent D'Arby (who in my humble opinion has one of the most distinct and versatile voices on the planet). While Jordan isn’t up to D'Arbys standards just yet, his voice is still a marvel. He's equally adept at the high falsettos and the bassey lows, but is also capable of altering the texture of his middle range from smooth to gravelly (another D’Arby trait), allowing him to jump between any number of different genres.

And I can honestly say I've never heard an album as musically diverse as Jordans debut. Apart from the typical pop/RnB flavour, you also get a fair amount of edgier rock/funk elements (think Lennie Kravitz) thrown in. What makes it even more distinctive is the interesting mix of classical and even folk sounding music on a couple of tracks.

Initially I found the production of the album to be a little overwhelming and tracks were so dense that they almost drowned out Jordens voice. After a few more listens though, it does open up and the “wall of sound” employed is easier to appreciate (though I’d still love to hear an acoustic version of the album).

Even though I wasn’t wild about a few tracks, there’s still something interesting about each of them, whether it be the harmony used, the change in key for the chorus or the choice of unconventional instrumentation. None of the songs bore, that’s for sure. And it’s so rare (and risky!) for an artist to be so musically adventurous with their debut, so I have to applaud him for that.

While the album is fresh and OH so different (compared to recent pop efforts), I’d be lying if I called it completely original. I’ve already likened his voice to Terence Trent D’Arby, but the comparison doesn’t end there. Some of the tracks are very reminiscent of D’Arbys earlier work, though that in itself is not a bad thing. “Set The Mood” is a very impressive and eclectic first work from an artist who I’m hoping doesn’t get lost in chart obscurity.

Standout Tracks:

• On The Money
• Sun Goes Down
• Set The Mood
• Glorious Day
• Only Living Soul
• Fight The World