Jeremy Jay

Well, it looks as if Jeremy Jay's foray in synth-minded pop was merely a passing phase, or at least a phase he doesn't return to on Splash. Unlike last year's '80s-leaning Slow Dance, the L.A. songwriter is back in garage pop mode for album number three, though with some frosty post-punk-isms still attached. In a sense, Splash lies closer to Jay's A Place Where We Could Go debut, but with a decent recording budget. This time out, the wistful crooner sounds more relaxed and confident, putting some downright crunchy guitar workouts at the forefront and keeping the synths humming in the background, highlighted best on album standout "Just Dial My Number." Unfortunately, at a mere 26 minutes, Splash doesn't give you much to sink your teeth into, especially with some tracks feeling more like off-the-cuff ideas than fully fleshed-out songs. But with another "full-length" already slated for 2010, at least we have more Jeremy Jay to look forward to.