Some time ago I wrote a brief post introducing jhimm, a one man band from Connecticut (my home state), to Progarchy.  Jason Himmelberger, the man behind the project, has since contacted me, and I am now honored to review his debut album Between the Waves, which I have recently had the pleasure of listening to.  I hope this review does the album justice because I was thoroughly impressed.  Here is a brief description of each song:

Outside the Box: great Hackett-like guitar (slow and smooth); beautiful song about a man who believed he had everything, but realized he was missing the most important thing of all-human contact

Different Eyes: in my humble opinion, the catchiest song on the album; eerie piano and distorted guitar; sounds dark, but picks up the pace and is quite enjoyable

About to Fall: another excellent song with great keyboard work; builds up to an “explosion” of keys and drums about halfway through; features a minimalist guitar sound

Part of Nothing: eerie but beautiful acoustic opening (with solid bass and keys); darker song that picks up after about 4 minutes

Between the Waves: wonderful piano drive piece; similar in sound to some of Coldplay’s work

Waiting for the Tide: great keyboard/synth driven piece instrumental; shortest song on the album, but entertaining nonetheless

Everyday Dying: definitely a “radio friendly” song (if only radio recognized more prog!); similar again in sound to Coldplay or Elbow; nice gentle guitar work

Falling Down: touching song dedicated to the victims of the Newtown school shooting; great vocals filled with emotion; Pink Floyd-ish atmospheric sound

jhimm has certainly produced a fine album.  He is a gifted multi-instrumentalist and great songwriter, and I hope his talent does not go unnoticed for much longer.  In my opinion, jhimm sounds like a wondrous blend of Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and Coldplay- a softer, mellow art rock that truly is a pleasure to listen to.  Even if you appreciate harder rock or metal, you will not be disappointed by this album.  And despite its rather serious tone, it does have a message of hope, hidden between the waves.

And here is the great song Outside the Box for your listening pleasure: