Giving Up the Ghost (Bonus Track Version)

Californian singer-songwriter Jackie Greene has quietly been amassing a deep, rewarding collection of tunes that reflect the enthusiasms of a young inquisitive songwriter with strong roots in folk, blues, country and classic American heartland rock. While Greene is that rare performer who can captivate a room with just his voice and guitar, he opts to cloak his sound in dense layers of guitars and keyboards, occasionally blunting the potential impact in the process. 2008’s Giving Up the Ghost, co-produced with Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, has several standout moments. The moody, wistful “Shaken” rasps like a lost Johnny Thunders ballad. “Animal” creeps with a dimly-lit noir backing of spare guitars and swelling organs. The quiet simmer of “I Don’t Live in a Dream“ brings Greene’s authoritative vocals to the frontline. “Downhearted” and “When You Return,” while featuring his strong, distinctive delivery, are muted by his backing group’s sturdy but too safe arrangements. When Greene breaks past for the bluesy wail of “Ghosts of Promised Lands,” his band surges behind him towards a climactic peak.