CD REVIEW: Brendan James "Brendan James"

Brendan James could very well be this generation's Billy Joel. His mastery of blending traditional pop songs with the emphasis on his piano skills is very reminiscent of Joel's style. Although James is not as hard hitting as Joel, he still displays the same qualities though his musicality. His new self titled album is head and shoulders above his debut album. Although he had some stellar songs and his songwriting was excellent on his debut, he hits full stride on this album. It's fitting that he self titled this one as wears his heart on his sleeve and opens himself up throughout each song. His vivid imagery combined with catchy hooks highlights the songwriting on tracks like "The Fall" and "Stupid For Your Love." It's tracks like "The Lucky Ones" and "Emerald Sky" that show off that he's not just another cookie cutter pop singer/songwriter. His heart and emotion in his lyrics and his delivery are his calling card. Brendan James may have just solidified himself as one of this generations new greats and it seems that, although he has put together an excellent sophomore release, the best is still yet to come.