aaamusic | On 08, Jul 2010

In an age when it’s sometimes difficult to find albums that don’t sound exactly the same as every other record out there, an artist that mixes things up a bit is a rare pleasure. It’s for this reason that Parry Ray’s latest effort The Way I’m Wired is so refreshing to listen to. Though the album itself isn’t particularly groundbreaking, it’s an enjoyable listen, an effective throwback to the traditional jazz sound that perhaps in recent years has been wrongly neglected.

Though the album does feature some very effective purely instrumental sequences (such as Is It Any Wonder’s brief guitar solo), ultimately the record relies mainly on Ray’s clean, smooth and appealing vocals to carry it along. Luckily this succeeds – Ray is a strong enough presence to ensure this album stands out. Romance is a major theme here – many songs centre around heartbreak or unfulfilled passion, and as such Ray’s lyrics are twinned with vocals ranging from dreamy to wistful to, at times, bitter and angry. While this album may not be avant-garde, it still makes for an interesting listen both for those who are familiar with jazz, as well as for newcomers looking for something a little bit different to add to their music library.

Author: Katharine Sparks