Jake Berry

Jake Berry is the type of guitar player that you can entertain you for hours on end with just his technical ability. That was the first thing that stuck out from the Sydney based musician who recently released a six-song EP entitled Glossolalia but multiple spins later was not the last.

Suffice it to say that Berry is an amazing guitarist but it’s evident that he wants to engage the listener with heartfelt songs that pull and tug at your emotions. Fortunately, Berry succeeds in doing this by presenting spacious songs that are anchored with vocals and acoustic guitar and then fleshed out with drums, cello and piano. Berry has an attractive voice and with a couple of tweaks and nudges would sound like a regurgitated top 40 carbon copy of John Mayer. The beauty is that his delivery is original enough that you wouldn’t confuse the two.

Another aspect that needs to be addressed is the quality of the recordings. Berry attempted to record himself but felt it wasn’t quite what he imagined. He eventually recorded in a professional studio and had it mastered at Sterling Sound. The results are exactly what you would expect. It sounds fantastic from top to bottom.

Berry opens up with “Mysterious,” which immediately displays his talent at the guitar. He pulls off some next level guitar picking before transitioning into a warm canvas of chords, which he sings over. The drums are strategically placed and his guitar and vocal always seemed to gain my attention.

“Waiting Room” was a clear highlight in which the guitar picking in my opinion was more technically impressive than the first song while “Nowhere” contains effective cello that adds emotional weight to the song. “Spinning Top” has the most energy amongst the batch and also felt the most “single-worthy.” Berry closes with “Carousel,” which plays into his strengths as a guitar player and a singer. It covers you with a warm coat of solace and nostalgia.

This record is a bit of a “grower.” The hooks aren't immediate and don’t jump at you right away. Berry’s music lacks a conventional, noticeable chorus and he trades it in for submersive, often poetic journeys that contain small peaks and valleys. It’s a welcome change from the traditional singer/songwriter and I applaud Berry on making a notable EP. - The Even Ground

It’s Monday night and I’ve arrived at my dimly lit, somewhat pretentious local bar. The atmosphere is inviting and engaging, despite the fact that the décor here reminds me scarily of The Block. People here are so intimidatingly good looking you’ll spend the rest of your night avoiding eye contact like the peasant you are. But it’s also warm and sultry and quite frankly Jake Berry’s latest EP sounds like the live act I would expect to hear at this venue.
Jake Berry
Meaning ‘speaking in tounges’, Glossolalia from Sydney singer Jake Berry reaches the peak of romanticism and sophistication.

Glossolalia is the epitome of romance and sophistication – two characteristics I don’t often hear in music lately. The six-track release is your standard acoustic album, complete with clean vocal runs and an easy-listening quality that allows the music to shine on its own as well as be played as background noise.
First up is Spinning Top, which sets the folksy tone that resonates throughout the rest of the EP. The next few songs follow suit, being highly textured with layers of guitars and light backbeats. Track four, Mysterious, is beautifully smooth, slightly more upbeat and reminiscent of singer/songwriter and ladies’ man John Mayer. We’ve Been Here Before follows shortly after and adds a jarring edge to the round off the EP. It’s a mixed bag of songs really and by the end of my listening I’m feeling a little confused.
Glossolalia adheres to the conventions of warm, mellow vocals paired with intricate guitar melodies. It is by no means the most original sound I’ve heard, but for fans of soothing acoustics this should be right up your alley. Berry’s talent is admirable and the EP clearly characterises him as an artist but it doesn’t quite hit the mark for me.
The EP has its highlights, (particularly the maturity and sense of self in each song, coupled with the curated selection of songs, but overall I was waiting for a climax, a moment of serious passion that never came. Glossolalia features some interesting jazz-inspired rhythms which I wish were expanded on more. It’s a solid foundation to start with but I hope to see something a bit more assertive and clarified from Jake Berry in the future. - hhhappy