Josh Taerk - 'Start Again'
'Start Again' is the first single to be taken from Josh Taerk's debut LP 'Never Look Back' (produced by Terry Brown (Rush, Blue Rodeo, Cutting Crew)) and it doesn't take a genius to understand why he's creating such a buzz. His knack for writing melodies and world-weary lyrics belie this Canadian's diminutive age and with recommendations from such iconic musicians as The E Street Band's Max Weinberg backed up by said chart-bothering talent and unique vocal flavour there's no doubt that Taerk deserves all that is coming his way.
'Start Again' contains three tracks and each one adds further strings to this 20 year-old's bow and with the title track's feel-good, blue collar Americana followed up by the pleading love songs 'Casie' and 'Hopelessly' the trio hammer home just how good a musician Taerk is. Combine his eye for a catchy hook with his disarmingly sincere vocals and you have yourself an act that raises eyebrows.
To put this young man's work in context, and to give an idea of his influences you have to go back to the pre-Nickelback era when bands like the Goo Goo Dolls and Hootie and The Blowfish were in their prime. With 'Casie' sounding frighteningly similar stylistically to the ballads written by Hootie and The Blowfish and the whole package sounding resoundingly like a band called Watershed one has to ask the question; has Taerk's music missed its window of opportunity?
Despite the quality of the work on this single it's not exactly treading new ground and if I didn't know better I would have placed its' origins back in 90's. Yes he writes and delivers powerful, emotive songs but it feels like it's all been done before, and frankly better.
The big question is whether there's still a market for this kind of work as there's no doubting the quality of the product.