Jerry Lawson
Just A Mortal Man
(Red Beet Records)
Jerry Lawson was the lead singer and founding member of The Persuasions for 40 years. He has now decided to make his solo debut at 71 years old with his new studio album release ‘Just A Mortal Man’ on East Nashville label Red Beet Records. The album was produced by Grammy-nominated producer Eric Brace and opens with Paul Simon’s ‘Peace Like A River’ and it is a really listenable reworking with Lawson’s rich voice.
‘Time and Water’ is essentially a story set to music as the band consisting of Joe Pisapia (electric guitar and bass) Jen Gunderman (keyboards) and Duane Blevins (drums) create a country desert sound. Lawson sings ‘ I don’t ask a lot of questions. I don’t know what I’d do with all the answers’ and it is really country soul at its best. The title track (a David Ruffin song) has a horn section and female backing vocalists and it is a lovely tribute.
‘Wine’ is written by Peter Cooper and it really reminds me of Brad Paisley’s ‘Alcohol’ with the comedic lyrics and I think of summer when I hear it. ‘In The Dark’ is a well-paced track and really highlights just how calming Jerry Lawson’s voice is. ‘Down On My Knees’ has really clever breaks and a trumpet solo and I can’t help but think of my friend Gary ‘Mudbone’ Cooper and his album ‘Fresh Mud’ in terms of the overall sound of the album. ‘Members Only’ is an interesting track and is quite relate-able.
‘I Hope That Love Always Knows Your Name’ has quite a dark theme underlying the track but it blends nicely with the rest of the album’s material. ‘Woman In White’ has a bit of a chug that you can kind of dance to and ‘Once In A While’ has some really cool bass and drums. I ask the question ‘I wonder if Gregory Porter has ever heard of Jerry Lawson or The Persuasions?’
‘Your Loving Arms’ has a really great keyboard sound and it is a song you could play during some quiet/reflection time. The album closes with a live version of ‘I’ll Come Running Back To You’ and I really hope Jerry Lawson can do some live shows in the UK at some point in the future as he doesn’t sound like one of those artists who sounds really great on record but aren’t able to deliver in a live setting.
In conclusion, ‘I’m Just A Mortal Man’ is very much seeped in soul music but it has flurries of country and Americana which keeps it original. To me, it is what an album with Gregory Porter and Glen Campbell would sound like and Jerry Lawson and his group of Nashville musicians should be very proud of this album.
Glenn Sargeant
Jerry Lawson’s debut solo album ‘I’m Just A Mortal Man’ is released in the UK on Monday 29th June 2015 on Red Beet Records. For more information visit: http://jerrylawson.biz/
1. Peace Like a River
2. Time and Water
3. I’m Just a Mortal Man
4. Wine
5. Never Been to Memphis
6. In the Dark
7. Down On My Knees
8. Members Only
9. I Hope That Love Always Knows Your Name
10. Woman in White
11. Once in a While
12. Loving Arms
13. I’ll Come Running Back to You [live]
