While I am not a fan of bands or artists selling out to capture record sales, there are numerous examples where quality bands just needed a tweak by a producer to turn good musicianship and song smithing into something truly memorable. Think Rick Rubin and Red Hot Chilli Peppers – not so much a sellout as making a good sound from a talented group of musicians into something more approachable by the rank and file. Is this a bad thing, or just a re-education of the artist by a different ear? Is it bad to be liked? Approachability is not necessarily selling out your vision.

Why have I rabbited on about all this, you ask? Mainly because Jesse Younan comes across as an artist with true talent, but his sound – while beautiful in its own right – will not be that accessible to the average punter who buys records. Jesse Younan may be incredibly happy with this status (and certainly the accolades included on his press release would suggest that several reviewers are happy to gush about his sound) just as it is. As a first-time listener, however, this humble reviewer is still of the opinion that a bit of tweaking what would lift this album to a more distinctive level.

As the CD stands, if you like roots-come-folk, this is a quality recording to pull out and play. Jesse certainly has the gift of writing music that is both melodic and emotive. While some songs like Mercy are lyrically stimulating, others, such as Blowfly, are just good fun. Jesse has a voice which sings beautifully, but just does not have a uniqueness that will make it stand out from others involved in this genre. As such, this is a lovely listen and an ideal CD to put on in the background while writing, cooking or just doing something quiet. It just doesn’t have the thing that will make it something you put on your – œten CDs for a desert island’ list.