Here is proof once again that there is so much great new music out there just itching to be discovered. And I’m sure that many of our readers are probably thinking, “Wait, you’ve never heard of Jerry Leger?” Truth be told, Jerry’s name had not appeared on my radar until very recently, thanks to strong endorsements from a pair of friends over these last few weeks. Moreover, I am a tad embarrassed that an artist who debuted in 2005 (at the age of 19), and with a slew of album releases under his belt, has only now come to my attention. And after hearing this new release, I say it’s better to be late to the party, than to miss out altogether.
With “Read Between The Lines,” Toronto, ON, singer-songwriter Jerry Leger has created a stunning soul rock ‘n’ roll tune that could convince many quite easily of being recorded over sixty years ago. His vocals are delivered with incredible passion, accompanied always by some outstanding instrumentation that conjures up images of an early 1960s prom band for me, playing their hearts out as high school grads slow dance the night away, stealing kisses and pocketing ‘smokes’ when their chaperones are distracted. “It’s rock ‘n’ roll the way I like to hear and play it,” he recently shared on americansongwriter.com. “Also, [it] has a bit of that early soul influence. Smokey, Garnet Mimms and anything from the ’60s era of Stax.” These images are certainly reinforced for me during Jerry’s cries of “I love you, I need you,” down the stretch, drawing comparison to power-vocalists such as Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (I’m thinking of their cover of Berry Gordy’s popular hit, “Do You Love Me” in particular).
Accompanying the single release is a distinctly different music video that was inspired by Jerry’s love for 1930s animation. Creating the video using a virtually extinct technique known as ‘rotoscoping,’ one that traces over film, frame by frame, to produce motion through realistic action sequences. Seeking the services of Toronto-based artist and moving image expert, Karly McCloskey, Leger brought his vision to life with this vintage 3:34 creation. “The song is very dynamic and it feels visual at times,” he shares. “I wanted to have a creative video to go along with it.” “Read Between The Lines” appears on Leger’s 2019 “Time Out For Tomorrow” album, produced by Michael Timmins (The Cowboy Junkies) and released on the Latent Recordings label.
Jerry’s quotes borrowed from Americansongwriter.com (Tina Benitez-Eves, January 14, 2020).
Photo Credit: LPPhotographs
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
