King of Yesterday

Just when you thought original-sounding pop-rock was pretty much dead, Jude comes along with a handful of tunes that are both widely accessible and have a voice of their own. For once, you wouldn't be embarrassed to get caught singing along with pop music while your car windows are rolled down. Jude's third album King of Yesterday has a good mix of biting sarcasm and down to earth sincerity backed by an understated band. \nThe disc is well-produced with a mix that highlights Jude's main weapon -- his voice. Thanks to what appears to be integrity in mainstream music, King of Yesterday allows Jude to include folk-style songwriting on the disc even though the music sounds very contemporary. It's clear that this guy could've easily been in a boy band with his impressive four-octave vocal range and occasionally annoying crooning style. But Jude prefers to make fun of those who focus on image with songs like "Sit Ups" and "The Not So Pretty Princess." \nThe music never drifts too far from pop-rock stylistically, but daringly incorporates some elements of both folk and funk music. There are several more intimate folk influenced tracks that focus on acoustic guitar and darker moods such as "Red Room" and one of the highlights, "Indian Lover." One of Jude's strengths is his ability to create irony by contrasting smooth vocal delivery with harsh, cynical lyrics. It's sonically one of the sweetest moments on the album when he sings "You should keep a gun nearby I hope you get the courage up/Dying young's the only way you're every going to last" in the middle of "Oh Boy." It's just a shame that he allows more than a few cheesy lines to sneak into some of the better songs.\nWhile Jude does a good job of putting his own personality and wit into his music, it is not quite ambitious enough to stand out in the pop world. Ironically, Jude might find more mainstream success by not cleverly disguising what he has to say. The album is a good one, but it needs a little more energy or some driving anger to balance its lighter moods and "moderate pop" sounds.