Jas Patrick
Inky Ovine
(Tiny Lion Records)

The big blues rockin’ guitar and loud snare of “Harpy” opens Jas Patrick’s new album, Inky Ovine. Playing nearly all instruments here (and his singing sounding very much like Paul Stanley at times), Patrick grabs you by the you-know-what and doesn’t let go here on these half-dozen. “Party Line (Classified)” has a cool, halting snare under a slightly slower jangle blues guitar. It’s a big, commercial tune with solid backing vocal harmonies (present throughout this record), big drums, and loud guitar upfront. While the title track here (lots of great Patrick drumming throughout) is an almost reggae dramatic turn. The country, flangy, big strum of “Little Bug” brings a totally different vibe from what came before it. There are light strings behind what might be Patrick’s most passionate vocal here on a song (sans lead, really). The jumpy beat, mixing both country and some “progressive” bleeps and string synth lines, of “Didn’t Ask” follows. Again, the harmony vocal on the chorus makes the tune quite singable (there is a pedal steel in the mix too that is so very well-placed) and the synth lead again surprises from this great guitarist. I just love a player who shows he’s got nothing to prove and doesn’t simply just wail when he could so easily do so. The last third of the tune, an acoustic guitar ahh’s and ohh’s tail-end is very tasty. Inky Ovine was a long time in the making, but Patrick completed it on his terms with a zeal and commitment surely evident.