Rating: NNNN
After the first few songs on Bajada’s latest, a devil on my shoulder was tempting me to call the man a singer/songwriter. But I told that spiky-tailed li’l scamp to beat it, cuz it would be a great disservice to liken the Montreal musician to the Jewels and John Mayers who’ve saturated and sullied the genre with their disaffecting, self-centered approch. Arms is a wonderfully low-key collection of songs proudly embracing the influence of Elliott Smith and Ryan Adams, and the occasional addition of Latin arrangements to keep things fresh. Bajada conveys subtlety with a believable, slightly restrained delivery that still retains a dreamy, lullaby kind of vibe.
Jason Bajada plays Sunday (July 16) at the Drake Hotel.