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Jason Lee:
Slide Rule Sundays
Neil Young, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Ryan Adams. It seems theres a trend among male singer-songwriters to go by short, uncomplicated names to aid public recognition and pronunciation. Jason Lee is no exception. Born Jason Lee Okrzynski, this JLO knocked off his Polish surname to ease his way into alt-folkdom with his debut album, Slide Rule Sundays. Judging by the albums sound and the fact that his web site names him one of the best power forwards in folk music today the aforementioned musicians are exactly who Lee hopes to be listed with someday. The twelve tracks are generally guitar-oriented, though pal Mark Hannans banjo and Jason Burggraffs cello add variety. The straightforward melodies lie smack-dab in the middle of what is widely accepted as alt-country. A St. Paul native, Lees up-tempo Minneapolis is a near replica of Adams New York, New York, minus the 9/11 suitability. American life is also a theme in Old Glory, an ode to the flag in which Lee croons mournfully, The blue still shines through like a proud newborn father sitting in the pew/But the red has bled her vain and the whites gone brown from the summer rain. Other subjects include going to the beach (Sand), girls (Baby) and God (Stained Glass). As can be gathered by these all-too-obvious song titles, chopping his name is not the only sacrifice Lee has made to fit in. A slide rule is designed to simplify equations, and this has certainly been done on Slide Rule Sundays the new songs all add up to the same old sums. Though Lee has made a solid album, there is virtually nothing here to distinguish him from the hundreds of artists with two first names looking to make the next folk classic.
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