LOST DOGS: JASON WILBER FOUND!
July 31, 1998 Nashville, Indiana
For the second time this summer, I was able to catch Jason
Wilber and his band in a live performance.
After visiting them in Bloomington for the June 6 CD release party, this
visit, just a few miles outside of Bloomington, proved to be interesting and entertaining.
Jason is certainly in both good spirits and good voice. His original
songs, eleven in number, are regularly done in his appearances, along with a whole lot of
other numbers that didn't make the CD.
The CD, "Lost In Your Hometown" features this song among the
titles. Jason has a nice way with words, as this song opens:
'At a second-hand shop where they sell some people's past
You try on a wedding coat and decide that it won't last.'
Jason's imagery comes up in many of his songs. "Evelyn", the
best on the CD, is particularly good, telling of an old love that just didn't work out,
but the guy hopes to see her again this evening...the chorus carries the theme of his song
well:
'Evelyn leave your door unlocked tonight
Close up all the curtains and turn out the bedroom light...
Evelyn you don't have to give a damn
Let me hold you for awhile
You don't have to like me again
Just love me tonight.'
A "Happy" song...and a good one, is "If I Owned A Liquor Store." This
is catchy, funny, and a good lead-off number for Jason and the boys.
Jason's ability to create a mood is evident in the last two cuts on the
CD: the first is "More Alone Than Before." This song tells of the excruciating
loneliness expressed by the guy after a breakup. She apparently wants nothing to do with
him...
'I'd call you
But you might answer.
And then I'd have nothing to say.
And if your hello had that happy tone
I'd hang up the phone
And I'd still be alone
But I'd be more alone than before.'
The last cut may be the strangest song you will ever hear. It again
creates a visual, this one unpleasant. You can imagine a loner peeking out the curtains of
his house at his object of affection. I call this his "stalker" song, and
referred to it as "Us"...but it's title is "Nobody Knows About Us."
'I got about a hundred pictures of
you
I took them all myself.
I cut some in half
And pasted in me
Now I've got a picture of us!"
Jason's CD is original, covers a wide range of both tempos
and of themes. It is an excellent first effort. His songs during a "concert"
show evidence of a most creative mind, and he has material aching to be recorded for the
next CD. Examples that come to mind are "Galway Waltz," a beautiful
song...."Amazing Grace and Little ....Little," about circus performers from his
childhood..."King For A Day," wishing he could be Elvis for just one
day..."Indian Summer," a nice tune, and many, many more.
Jason's schedule of appearances is posted on the OH BOY roster. Check it out and see him
if you are able. You will have an enjoyable evening performed with the original band
members that did the recording.