Guitarist and songwriter Jim Stephanson has apparently been a mainstay of the Washington D.C. music scene since the 1970s.
Over the past three decades and more he has worked with a lot of names who are listed proudly by his press agents (although I confess I haven't heard of any of them!).
After all this time he's finally gotten round to making a record of his own and has called upon thirteen other musicians to help him in this long delayed project. These include members of the long running, but now stagnant jazz-rock band NRBQ (New Rhythm and Blues Quartet). Terry Adams, of that combo, co-produced the record as well as playing piano, organ and clavinet.
This is a short album - just 30 minutes worth of eleven snappy happy-go-lucky tunes, any one of which might have been written in the 50s and 60s.
The opening track, You Won't Ever Fall In Love, sets the tone with its toe-tapping Buddy Holly meets The Everly Brothers vibe while the opening of Mixed Up Mind is a ringer for The Beatles' I Feel Fine.
Titles like Girl Of My Dreams /See You In My Dreams highlight the deliberate innocence of the love songs which hark back to a time when pop songs were less raunchy or cynical.
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Frankly, the author of Jim Stephanson's bio is in denial when s/he says that one song (Before You Know) is "a glorious 21st century song.......without a hint of retro leanings". This is both inaccurate as well as negating the very reason for making this record in the first place.
The Honky-tonk of How 'Bout Now, jazzy swing of I Go For That and straight R'n'B of Make A Lot Of Noise make the point plainly that Stephanson actually has zero interest in making 21st Century music.
The purpose of this album is to celebrate an affection for music of a bygone era and if you're one who thinks that nostalgia isn't what it used to be, you may just be on Jim's wavelength.
Jim Stephanson's website
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