Jon Peter Lewis – Break The Silence – New Album

By On 08/06/2008 · 18 Comments · In Uncategorized

Before the Idols could play instruments, before they sang British Invasion and Beatles tunes. Before there was a live band. Back when American Idol was (mostly) all R&B all the time, there was Jon Peter Lewis. He got my attention during the Season 3 auditions, while in the midst of a sea of Stevie covers and Whitney belters, JPL appeared to audition in front of the judges with a Van Morrison song. Van freaking Morrison! Yeah, that got my attention. My Season 3 favorite had arrived.

While his stint on the show never produced a performance that matched the potential I saw in that initial audition, his post Idol work has exceeded my expectations.

What’s totally cool about the trajectory of JPL’s post Idol career is that he could’ve taken offers that would have attempted to mold him into the next Jesse McCartney or capitalized on the crazy-dancing-guy (pre-Taylor Hicks, people!) image that secured his wild-card spot in Season 3′s Top 12. Instead, he took some time off to develop into a serious artist. He networked, wrote music and learned as much as he could about the music business. The result of that period of introspection was Stories From Hollywood, an eclectic and often fine collection of pop rock songs.

His brand-new recently released effort Break the Silence, is a more focused and cohesive effort than his first. And I will go out on a limb to say Break the Silence is one of the best Idol records out there. As a matter of fact, it’s my personal favorite of all the Idol records so far. Even further–forget Idol–this record stands on it’s own.

Break the Silence is available everywhere, including iTunes (“Crazy Love” his audition song is a bonus track) and Amazon.com

A track by track review follows, after the Jump

Click the links for iTunes tracks…

Break the Silence

  1. Break the Silence – Big, giant choruses and chiming guitars characterize the album’s first single. The catchy chorus (and JPL making the radio rounds, of course) helped the song make it to #50 on the Mediabase Hot AC chart. Not bad for an independent release!
  2. Now That I’m Kneeling – More chiming guitars, more great hooks, and a soaring vocal from JPL.
  3. Beautiful – Ditto above. Plus, a lush, beautiful chorus.
  4. Winning Streak – Between the trite lyrics and syrupy strings, I’m just not feeling it. Not one of my favorites
  5. No Fire – My favorite cut on the album is this gorgeous piano ballad that showcases JPL’s ability to deliver an emotional vocal. Stunning.
  6. Everybody Falls – Here, the disc shifts gears. This simple, plaintive number features JPL’s pretty falsetto. Very nice.
  7. Bridges – A Mid-tempo blues number very much in the 70′s Southern California rocker tradition. Think Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne. Soulful vocals give the tune a nice, easy groove.
  8. Something Almost Sacred – A mid-tempo rocker accented by jangly guitar flourishes.
  9. Make You Feel My Love – JPL’s sublime vocals are front and center on this gentle, acoustic cover of the Garth Brooks/Bob Dylan song.
  10. Came Here For – I adore the surf-inspired guitar riffs on this moody, atmospheric track. Very Brian Wilson. Very cool. Listen on headphones, with the lights off.
  11. If You Don’t Mean It – The hooky, guitar-driven chorus makes this song single material.
  12. Have I Told You -   A love song that’s romantic, but with an edge that keeps it from drifting into trite sentimentality.   JPL wrote two songs on the album, and this is one of them. I’m not sure why he didn’t write more, because they’re both solid efforts.
  13. Tonight – The other self-penned cut, a bittersweet love song, has a lovely, lilting melody, set to acoustic guitars. This song is killer done live.
  14. Things I Didn’t Know – This tune, featuring a catchy, propulsive melody, closes the album. Growing up and growing wise is the theme of this song, written by Sky Elobar, the songwriter on some of the best cuts from Stories From Hollywood. Another one of my favorites.

The iTunes version features “Crazy Love” the perfect bonus track for those of us who dug his audition. The features a more mature vocal and does not disappoint. Awesome.

Favorite cuts: “No Fire”, “Things I Didn’t Know”, “Tonight”, “Make You Feel My Love”, “Came Here For”.

 
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  • kathrynTX

    Ya know, mj, I think I just might buy this! I really liked JPL on Idol. He wasn’t a “voice” but he could sing and I liked his style. Yep, I’ve gotten interested in new music again (thank you, David Cook) and I think I’ll go get the itunes version with the Van Morrison extra! Thanks.

  • lurksalot

    He’s going to need more promotion.

    Jon Peter sold 100, down from 300, for a two-week total of 400.

  • mac

    Thanks for the review MJ. I really like the single “Break the Silence” and was going to just buy that, but now I will give the whole CD a try. I really admire artists that stay true to themselves and try to develop into long-term artists. We as the music public truly benefit from that. Hope he gets a good response to his album.

  • cheese

    Thanks for the reminder that I actually bought this like 10 days ago and haven’t listened to it yet! I’m finally listening now, but I think I’ll just repeat “No Fire” a few times. Heh.

    Did JPL work with any well-known songwriters, mj? I probably just would have assumed that he wrote or co-wrote most of the songs if I hadn’t read your review (did he write more songs on Stories from Hollywood?)

  • http://myspace.com/susanatfox sumidol

    Oh JPL, I havent heard of him or seen him since Idol but I will have to listen. His uncle lives in our town and had us run an ad to vote for him – a home town boy sort of thing, he is from AZ right? I am pretty sure it was him.

  • desii

    omg mj. i didn’t know you were a jpl fangirl. i’m TOTALLY in the liner notes of this album! :]

    does anyone have ‘crazy love’ uploaded? i preordered the album so i didn’t get it :[

  • http://myspace.com/girlgeek mj

    Did JPL work with any well-known songwriters, mj? I probably just would have assumed that he wrote or co-wrote most of the songs if I hadn’t read your review (did he write more songs on Stories from Hollywood?)

    He took songs from songwriters, he didn’t work with any of them. He wrote two of the songs on the album. There were more of his songs on Stories From Hollywood.

    Really, I love this album. Y’all should at least click the Amazon links and listen to the clips.

    My favorites are: “No Fire”, “Tonight”, “Thinks I Didn’t Know”, “Make You Feel My Love”

  • KarenLE67

    “while in the midst of a sea of Stevie covers and Whitney belters, JPL appeared to audition in front of the judges with a Van Morrison song. Van freaking Morrison! Yeah, that got my attention. My Season 3 favorite had arrived.”

    Hear, hear! I really liked JPL. Thanks for bringing the new album to our attention. I’ll consider it. I wish iTunes had some kind of wish list you could save things to.

    I would have preferred me some MJ singing Van this season, instead of the Queen and the Aerosmith. Don’tcha think?

  • hoodathunk

    Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s going to need more promotion.

    Jon Peter sold 100, down from 300, for a two-week total of 400.

    For real?! I’ve always liked JPL too. It’s a shame that he isn’t selling more. I may have to pick up a copy.

  • http://myspace.com/susanatfox sumidol

    Oh he is from Arizona? thanks

  • IGetCranked

    I started watching season three late and only got to see I think two performances by him but he was the one who grabbed me. I really like Break the Silence. I wish it would get some airplay.

  • desii

    i’m pretty positive jon is from utah but he’s lived all over. i’ll look into it.

  • http://myspace.com/saltwatercures pj

    I’m lame. I still haven’t downloaded it. I will.

  • http://myspace.com/girlgeek mj

    i’m pretty positive jon is from utah but he’s lived all over. i’ll look into it.

    He’s an air force brat. He’s lived all over. Not Utah, although he has family there. He went to high school in Wyoming and college in Rexburg Idaho. His parents live in Bakersfield, CA.

  • abbysee

    Will at least listen to the clips in the AM. Didn’t get him on the show, but anyone who sings Crazy Love gotta at least give it a looksee.

  • kathrynTX

    Oh boy, I downloaded Break the Silence last night with the eyetoons extra Crazy Love! Yippee more new music! An interesting mix of pop & rock sounds; some good WORDS (lyrics to think about); and some very nice vocals from JPL. Very cool. I’m likin’ it and I’ve only had it since last night. I think it will grow on me fer shure. Also, on his myspace (a new friend!), he says he’ll be in Kansas City this Friday interviewing people for americanidoldotcom. Cool. Thanks for the update on this man, mj. I probably never would’ve found him again if not for you.
    :smile_wp:

  • ann11

    Thanks for the heads up, MJ. (the iTunes bonus “Crazy Love” cover sounds great – too bad some will miss it!)

    Also appreciate (as per usual) your perspective:

    Instead, he took some time off to develop into a serious artist. He networked, wrote music and learned as much as he could about the music business.

    I wonder if DA will ever go this route, and what his 3rd or 4th album might be like because of it…

  • Lu

    Nice, very nice. Tonight and Make You Feel My Love are my faves… high rotation on the ipod.