J. Edmond: "Isolated Dew" (2025) CD Review

Jeremy Edmond was performing and recording as Jebb, and in the spring of 2020 he released a song titled "Isolated Dew." You remember that time. It was when the pandemic was hitting hard, and isolation was the name of  the game. We were all going a little mad, understandably. Now it's five years later, and apparently the pandemic is over. Jeremy, now recording under the name J. Edmond, has revisited the song, now titled "Some Way," on an EP titled Isolated Dew. Joining J. Edmond on this disc is A. Michael Collins on drums, bass and backing vocals. There are also special guests on various tracks.

The EP opens with "Some Way," which eases in. Many of the lines are the same as the song "Isolated Dew," but there are some changes too, some rearrangement of lyrics and a different vibe. Perhaps the biggest change is the loss of that section where he sang, "Hey, I'm losing it/Hey, I'm fine/Hey, I'm losing it/My Mind." Because now we've gone through that, and there is a more positive bent, at least regarding that subject. Another major difference is in the musicians who join him on this rendition. Paul Chastain (of Velvet Crush) plays bass on this track, Danny Henry is on keyboard, and Fernando Perdomo is on slide guitar. If you're familiar with Fernando Perdomo's work, you might be wondering where he found the time to take part in the recording of this song, since he's in the middle of a year-long project, releasing an album of new original material every month, and also recorded a new album with Matt Tecu. I've come to the conclusion that there are just more hours in his days than in the days of everyone else. Another difference in this version is in the vocal approach to the song's final lines. Tommy Hayes then joins J. Edmond on saxophone on "Search Lights," making his presence appreciated from the beginning, delivering some nice work that helps set the track's cool tone. There is something of an early 1980s rock vibe to this track. "Man, I'm not sure if I'm glad to meet you/Work's hard, quitting's easy." A. Michael Collins plays both bass and drums on this one. The second half features an excellent, energetic saxophone lead. The overall feel of this track takes me back to my youth.

J. Edmond slows things down a bit then with "City Walk." This track contains a passionate vocal performance, and much of this track's power is within that performance. Some lines stand out for me, such as "You poison me with pictures" and "Life hits harder/When you're alone" and "Starting to hate the game." I love the way it builds in power. This is a song with a yearning, and with hope, but also with darkness. Stephen Peter Rogers plays lap steel on this track. This song was released as a single in 2024, the first to be delivered under the name J. Edmond. Released with "City Walk" was "M. Paserebye," and that song is included here too. This one is all about the vocals and guitars, and contains some really nice guitar work. "Do you ever just let life pass you by?" The EP then concludes with an instrumental version of "Some Way," with all the same musicians as on the first track. Actually, it's not fully an instrumental version. There are vocals in that section in the second half, the "Learn a new skill/Get up that ladder" part.

CD Track List

1. Some Way
2. Search Lights
3. City Walk
4. M. Paserebye
5. Some Way (Instrumental)

Isolated Dew was released on June 26, 2025.