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Edgar Jones launched his career in the very strict '60s revival band the Stairs in the early '90s, but since they flamed out, he's made all kinds of music that doesn't stick to any rules. His best-known album is 2005's Soothing Music for Stray Cats, an odd collection of pre-rock hepcat jazz and R&B that found some surprising fans (like Noel Gallagher and Harry Potter), but The Song of Day and Night might be his best. With a focus on snappy soul tracks (both uptown and Northern), the album has a sassy, insouciant feel. Jones has a fine voice for singing soul, deep and commanding with just a touch of vulnerability. He uses it to great effect on uptempo tracks like "Wait!" and "Thinkin' Bout the Time," and backs it with fuzztone guitars, bright keyboards, and bubbling bass. "Don't Break My Heart" sounds like it just has to be a cover of some lost classic, but it's all Jones. He also does a fine job on the ballads, aching through "Keeps a Rollin' Round in My Head" like he's on his last teardrop and emoting in very manly fashion on the oddball "Best Thing," a song that gives the impression that it was built out of spare parts from Joe Meek's workshop. Along with Jones' deep dive into soul, he takes side trips into jaunty blues-rock on "Lies" and rambling novelty jazz on "Big Eyed Boo," drops in a quiet acoustic guitar instrumental ("Procrastination"), and generally comes across like a British version of Willy DeVille, only with better hair ("Sarah," "Serendipity Doo"). It's a good-time romp of an album, full of wonderfully light and breezy tunes and plenty of Jones' unique take on soul and other stuff. If you've never heard of Edgar Jones, it's a fine place to start your trip. If you've been following him all along, The Song of Day and Night is something of a crowning achievement for a truly talented, truly idiosyncratic guy. ~ Tim Sendra
