James Kasper

James Kasper (a self-proclaimed folk noir singer-songwriter from Saskatoon) explores the scary, vulnerable side of love and loss with his sophomore solo release, Small Town Gods and Devil. As the title suggests, a dark, melancholic mood prevails throughout. His verses, which border on the melodramatic, fit perfectly into the overall concept of the album. Kasper turns the heat way up on "Breezy," while begging for relief from the grasp of unfulfilled desire. "I'm a masochist but I like this a lot," he confesses in the song. With the burning wail of his harmonica and his smouldering lyrics, he artfully wrenches empathy from listeners. Small Town Gods and Devils feels more polished and candid than his debut release. Putting greater emphasis on the noir side adds depth of character and individuality to his music, helping to distinguish him from the thousands of other singer-songwriters in the country roots genre. Whether the offerings of his darker alter ego earn him more than a smattering of new fans remains to be seen though.