Reviewed by Toby Fournier

Jamie will be well-known to regular Cross Rhythms listeners, his "Since I Met You" single having been playlisted. Provident/Sony label collected his first three singles and three new cuts and released this EP in September 2019. There is no arguing with Jamie's craftsmanship. He's worked with some of the best names in the business and knows his stuff, which is clearly evidenced by the crisply produced, uplifting messages of hope on this, his first EP. Track one, "Jesus On The Radio" gets its hook in the ear with its infectious root guitar note while the chords build behind it: "On the brightest day, in the darkest night/There's a voice I hear, and it keeps me right/Tells me what I need to know." A perfect start to the day; breezy enough for breakfast radio. I can't fault Jamie's production values. The sound throughout his EP is crisp, deep and clear enough to hear him taking breaths between lines and occasionally his fingers on the frets. "When I hit the dirt 'cause the pain and hurt/Have dropped me from the cruellest height/Lord, you part the sea and you rescue me/Lord, you show me how the devil lies," he sings on "Down". Jamie sounds very young. I don't know how old he is and I've done my research, believe me. I'm not sure it matters really. "Love Your Neighbour" also sounds radio-friendly. It sounds like a hit actually. The piano and celestial keyboards on the chorus are familiar. Not an unwelcome familiar, but a familiar like we all know how the song goes. No surprise that it was his last single release. And it has a fantastic message: "Bad news everywhere/Broken hearts in need of prayer/But there's hope in his grace/And together we can give it away." In the first flush of recording and releasing, Jamie has taken great strides and his future looks bright.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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