Jason Collett — Here's To Being Here

Jason Collett possesses a swagger that few musicians can affect. It's effortless, like he fell out of the womb in a vintage three-piece suit with a guitar slung over his shoulder. Here's To Being Here sees Collett put that swagger to good use playing with his live backing crew, Paso Mino, and a raft of the "special guests" we've all come to expect from any Social Scenester's release, including Andrew Whiteman (Apostle Of Hustle) and Liam O'Neill (The Stills). The result is a record that builds on the whispered melodies and timeless feel of his 2005 masterstroke, Idols Of Exile. Howie Beck's recording and production are clean but not precious, letting Collett's slightly nasal timbre ring out over his Dylan-gone-electric guitar riffs and meted out arrangements. The "alt.country" tag Collett's often saddled with doesn't do his musicianship justice. He's too fucking cool, not to mention talented, to be pinned down like that.