"Surrounded by Lights" is the latest (December 2008) release by singer-songwriter Jesse Sprinkle. Jesse's music has a dark edge yet bristles with shimmering acoustic guitar and bright lead work, illuminating why the record may be entitled, "Surrounded by Lights". I imagine most of Jesse's tunes begin on his acoustic guitar, maybe even debuted in a coffeehouse format, but the sound of the full band and additional orchestration provide even more substance to the thought-provoking lyrics. Overall, an emotional depth is obtained that draws parallels to poetic tunesmiths like Neil Finn and Grant-Lee Phillips.
It is obvious that Jesse Sprinkle is a true craftsman with his songs. Based on this record, I sense he feels that songwriting is more of an art, with the instruments being the paints and the recording media the empty canvas. Some tunes are wonderfully sparse, like the standout track "Better Places", allowing the listener to appreciate the virtually naked lyrics. However, others are accented with chiming guitars and soothing backing vocals (as on "Longing For The Ordinary"), and would have easily found a home in heavy rotation on MTV's 120 Minutes between 1988 and 1991. These songs draw parallels to The Ocean Blue or Ian McCulloch.
Ironically, "Surrounded By Lights" is not a record that most would reach for on a happy sunny day. To me, it is more of an atmospheric, mood record...best played with the lights out and digested whole. I am not finding the hooks to be particularly strong and, with notable exception, most songs are not sticking with me - but the experience of listening to his record is. If you like any of the aforementioned artists, along with R.E.M. releases like "Up" or "Reveal", let a little Jesse Sprinkle rain down on you.
On a final note, I must draw attention to the closing instrumental track, "The Legend of Saint Agnes". It is sublime.
iPOD-worthy: 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12
Jesse Sprinkle on MySpace. Official site.
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