Jeremy James is “a hallmark of songwriting talent (CE Skidmore, Glens Falls Post Star)” and “the real deal (Alan Bennett Ilagan, edgenewyork.com).” His songs are “startlingly direct and straightforwardly catchy (Metroland).” He has been a presence on the Capital Region music scene for years and has garnered both local and national attention. He has performed at Caffe Lena, Red Square, Valentine’s, Union College, and Columbia University, among other locations. His songs are often featured on WEXT, WRPI, WEQX, and numerous Internet radio stations. His album Landlocked was ranked as one of the top 10 albums of 2007 by OutVoice, a national chart of releases by LGBT musicians.

In his latest recording, the 2009 EP Such Noble Men, James delves into the political as well as the personal, tackling topics ranging from gay marriage (“Sunset”) to gun control (“With All Due Respect to Mister Heston”) to the grief of a loved one (“Kilcrease Road”).

In the clever “Boombox,” a radio‐friendly melody contrasts with images of a defunct relationship. James mourns the past with the line, “Of all the ones that slipped through my fingers / the hardest to hold was you.”

“Indian Giver,” a bass and drum‐driven rocker, explores America’s history of westward expansion. The track gives the EP its title with the line “And now we’re living in the shadow of such noble men / Those slave‐driving, genociding, European kin.” In the refrain, James declares, “Freedom is in the eye, you see / And Mt. Rushmore is looking down on me.”

The production of Such Noble Men highlights James’ artistic evolution since 2007’s Landlocked. Where Landlocked was stark and played to James’ country roots, Such Noble Men is decidedly thicker and groovier, showing that this singer/songwriter is no stranger to rock and pop. While braving new sonic territory, James maintains the organic and intimate quality that his fans have come to expect.

Such Noble Men was recorded by Jason Bourdeau and mastered by Scott Apicelli at Blue Sky Music Studios in Delmar, New York, and features Jeremy James on vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, and Wurlitzer. He was joined in the studio by Katy Westfall on bass, Scott Apicelli (Hair of the Dog) on drums, Donna Baird (Scientific Maps and Sgt. Dunbar & the Hobo Banned) on trumpet, and longtime collaborator Joely Schwenk (Jesse’s Girl and Stretch) on backing vocals and percussion.

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