Article by Emanuele Tamaglini
It could be the ideal day for Joe Newman.
Rediscover the California heat in Rome. From the Northwest of Los Angeles, exactly from the “hipster” hills of Echo Park, he set off again to pick up that musical thread left who knows where the day after Alt-J was put on hold.
The promotional occasion is the release of 'The Canyon' solo debut in the name JJerome87. Which, it is worth clarifying immediately, will not change the fate of the artist from Leeds, it will not change that of the stoic fans who flocked to the coils of the air conditioning of the specialized shop on the Esquiline in Rome and it will not even change the fate of a record market which has slipped into a worrying general atrophy at every level.
Joe Newman it seems to have come out of that little and absolutely revaluable film from 40 years ago which was called (coincidentally) Echo Park.
Newman then new Tom Hulce: Bermuda shorts, trucker hat and shirt with a strong summer flavour, ready to knock on our hearts, like the protagonist of that film (Jonathan) knocked on the door of the beautiful May played by the very sweet Susan Dey. The hills are the same.
The most intimate feelings envelop a simple, very personal album, which tells stories of life and fatherhood, of everyday life marked by an honestly sincere narrative. Newman introduces each of the six songs he presents on this hot afternoon, accompanied by a smiling keyboard player and her electric guitar, JJerome87 it breaks through little by little.
The wooden shelves that surround it are certainly not an evocative setting, but the pleasure in listening to some of the album's pearls live is truly great. Red circle moments that answer to the name of Two Hearts (a father's joy), Track and Field And Last Man Aliveand (the one I prefer).
Applause from those present and a copy-signing moment which I willingly give up. Piazza Vittorio is not Sunset Boulevard and I'm a little sorry about that.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
