Music Review: Jay Brannan - In Living Cover

Jay Brannan is back with a 9 track EP, In Living Cover, which I have been mistakenly calling In Living Color for the past month.

Anyway, loyal readers of the site will know that we named Jay's previous album goddamned the best album of 2008. I am pleased to say that this EP is just as good.

This time, Jay has given the fans something they have been asking for. In Living Cover features seven cover songs and two originals. Every single cover takes the songs to a new level. Jay has a gift to infuse every song of his with such emotion that it is impossible not to be captivated by what you are hearing. That gift is on full display here as he tackles, and in most cases, surpasses the original songs.

He's included fan favorites like Jann Adren's "Good Mother," and Terra Naomi's, "Say It's Possible" plus 2 original tracks, "Beautifully" and "Drowning."

"Beautifully" is my favorite song on the album but honestly, the entire thing is perfect. Jay Brannan has crafted yet another brilliant album for us. His voice and his guitar playing are top notch and he delivers a gorgeous disc that is wrought with emotion.

He takes amazing songs like "The Freshmen" and "Zombie" and makes them his own. Particularly "Zombie" which was a harder song when performed by The Cranberries. Here Jay tones it down and it sounds more like a plea for action rather than the political insistence of the original. It's his passion for the music that just oozes from everything he does. We get Jay's haunting voice, his guitar, and a violin and the effect is mesmerizing.

He even takes on the greats like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. They should both be proud of his interpretations here. They're fantastic.

I had only just heard of him a few months before goddamned was released and in that short time he has become my favorite male artist.

I just can't get enough of his music and In Living Cover is no exception.

Jay is going on a tour to support the release so be sure to check him out. Tour dates are below! We'll have a review of his Los Angeles stop in a few weeks.

In the meantime, do yourself a favor and pick up In Living Cover and his debut goddamned. Both are prime examples of a brilliant singer/songwriter at work.

In Living Cover hits iTunes on July 7, but oddly enough it looks to be available on Amazon now.

'In Living Cover' Tracklist:

1. Beautifully (Jay Brannan original)
2. Say It's Possible (Terra Naomi)
3. All I Want (Joni Mitchell)
4. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob Dylan)
5. The Freshmen (The Verve Pipe)
6. Good Mother (Jann Arden)
7. Both Hands (Ani DiFranco)
8. Zombie (The Cranberries)
9. Drowning (Jay Brannan original)

That's not all we have for you. How about some tour dates:

July 8 New York, NY Joe's Pub (all ages)
July 9 Annaplis, MD Ram's Head On Stage (21+)
July 10 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live (Upstairs)
July 11 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's (early show)
July 13 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock
July 14 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern (18+)
July 15 Columbus, OH The Basement
July 17 Houston, TX House of Blues
July 18 Austin, TX Stubb's Jr.
July 19 Dallas, TX The Loft
July 21 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy Theatre
July 24 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill (21+)
July 25 Portland, OR Doug Fir (early show)
July 26 Seattle, WA Crocodile (early show)
July 29 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
July 30 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club (18+)
Sept 7 Köln, DE Stadtgarten
Sept 8 Frankfurt am Main, DE Nachtleben
Sept 9 München, DE 59:1
Sept 11 Berlin, DE Frannz Club
Sept 12 Hamburg, DE Knust
Sept 14 Milano, IT La Casa 139
Sept 15 Roma, IT Circolo degli Artisti