Redeeming the Days Independent Pop 09-11-2007

SCORE 87%

James Tealy had lived and worked in New Orleans with his wife for 10 years when Katrina hit. It sounds like his material losses were fairly minimal, but the spiritual gains he experienced as a result of the storm were significant. His thoughtful perspective and intuitive manner deeply informs this very personal EP, and his smooth piano pop accessibility makes the project even more appealing.

Opening with the gently pulsating ballad “Dawn,” Tealy sets an introspective mood and follows it up with insightful lyrics and a warm, vulnerable delivery. Standout track “Permanent” follows, a hugely melodic pop piece that reminds us of what is truly valuable and lasting, a lesson he learned up close and personal from Katrina.

The piston-like rhythms of “Foreign is Familiar” alternate industrial overtones with a global sensibility, while the perceptive lyrics of the chorus reinforce the track’s heartfelt message: “All my words are just tarnished toys/ They have been broken by broken boys/ Give me the truth that cuts through all this noise and I’ll sing it/ I’ll shout it/ Till all that’s foreign is familiar.”

The two closing tracks contain a similar theme, both sensitively drawn portraits of young people in pain. “Fourteen” immediately brings Paul Simon to mind, Tealy’s finely tuned vocals echoing the loneliness of a daughter left behind. The poignant “Room to Run” tells the story of a runaway; both tracks are hard to listen to. Tealy’s aim is that good.

This aptly-titled EP bears a warm intimacy, allowing these 6 open-hearted songs to go down easily.