Jason Falkner
I'm OK... You're OK
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Label: Cobraside
Jason Falkner's made quite a name for himself over the years -- he's been in such critically lauded bands as the Three O'Clock, Jellyfish and the Grays, played with the likes of Paul McCartney and Beck and has produced albums by Eric Matthews and Daniel Johnston, among others. He's a pop perfectionist and a formidable talent- traits that haven't always served his solo work well. Fussiness has a way of erecting walls, keeping the listener at a distance and making the songs feel sterile.
So color me more than pleasantly surprised with Falkner's I'm OK... You're OK. From the get-go, Falkner seems relaxed, confident and maybe even a little bit vulnerable. There's a warmth here that's been lacking in his previous recordings. I'd dare say it's the record he's been trying to make all these years.
What's shocking is that I'm OK... You're OK is just now getting a domestic release -- it came out in Japan almost three years ago and who knows whether that fact's an indictment of the dismal state of the U.S. music industry or Falkner's just been too darned busy to sort something out. Regardless, its release is cause for celebration. From the first notes of the rousing opener, "This Time," I'm OK... You're OK is a blast to listen to. The bouncy follow-up "NYC" gives a nod to paying dues but sounds wide-eyed and free.
And that's the thing about this record -- Falkner played virtually every note, but the results sound less like an obsessive studio rat and more like a rollicking live band. There's a vibrancy and palpable sense of fun that permeate every tune, a genuine spunkiness to the proceedings. I'd hazard a guess that there's a weight that comes with being hugely talented and a perfectionist to boot; that's a lot of expectation -- yours and everyone else's -- to live up to.
But that weight seems to have lifted from Falkner's shoulders this time around. The tunes are deliciously addictive pop nuggets, with more hooks than a tackle box. The lyrics are smart but simple. There's no over-thinking; no barriers. Resistance is futile. I can't pick a favorite song because they're all great.
It's refreshing and gratifying to witness an artist hitting their stride, and on I'm OK... You're OK, Falkner fully lives up to his hype. Bravo.
by Barbara Mitchell
