Jeremie Albino – Our Time In the Sun
On Jeremie Albino’s latest, Our Time In the Sun, it’s easy to hear why the young Toronto-R&B-devotee quickly won over big-name fans like Orville Peck, Nathaniel Rateliff, Sierra Ferrell and members of the Black Keys. In fact, Dan Auerbach, one half of that duo, was so impressed he signed Albino to his record label.
Across a dozen time capsule Blues/R&B tracks, the singer pulls off an impressive nod to a timeless sound. With his fourth record there is a maturity to his voice and these songs that belie his age. The opening track, “I Don’t Mind Waiting,” sets the template for what’s to follow, classic, mid-tempo old school R&B that has a decidedly American influence, despite his Canadian roots. His tuneful, but languid vocals sound a bit like Rateliff, especially on a jam like “Baby Ain’t It Cold Outside.”
The title track is one of the best examples of how strong his vocals can get. The sad, slow burn tune shows a devotion to folks like Otis Redding, making for heart wrenching delivery. It contrasts nicely with more breezy moments like “Rolling Down The 405.”
While the old school feel of the music sounds great on most of the record, at times, it does comes across as forced. “Dinner Bell,” for example, lyrically and musically sounds like someone cosplaying a 1920’s Blues musician from the rural south. “I try to put my heart into everything,” Albino says. “There’s really no other way for me to do it. If I’m not putting everything into the song, then why would I even bother to sing it?” For the most part that works and the lyrics come across as authentic, but ever now and then, they don’t.
The album closes strong on the second to last track, “Gimmie Some” a sweet song and one of the strongest moments on the record. It’s a simple love song at heart, but the building tempo combined with Albino’s careful delivery makes for a hard to resist track.
Find the music and more information here in his BandCamp page: https://jeremiealbinomusic.bandcamp.com/album/our-time-in-the-sun
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Jeremie Albino “Tears You Hide”
Our Time in the Sun was produced by Dan Auerbach; recorded and engineered by M. Allen Parker at Easy Eye Sound Studios, with additional engineering by Morgan Stratton and Tate Sablatura and assistant engineering by Jonny Ullman and Tyler Zwiep. It was mixed by M. Allen Parker and Dan Auerbach, and mastered by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound.
Musicians on the album are Jeremie Albino on vocals and acoustic guitar; Sam Bacco on conga, tambourine, chimes, whisks, brushes, shaker, bells, doumbek, hand drum and cowbell; Tommy Brenneck on bass and guitar; Tom Bukovac on guitar; Barrie Cadogan on guitar and Fuzz Bass; Malcolm Catto on drums, tambourine and shaker; Mike Rojas on piano, organ, Rhodes piano, Wurlitzer and clavichord; Dan Auerbach on guitar, mellotron, fuzz bass, backing vocals, baritone guitar and handclaps; Tim O’Brien on backing vocals; Jake Botts on tenor saxophone and baritone saxophone; Andrew Golden on trumpet; Ray Mason on trombone; Pat McLaughlin on backing vocals
