Rob's Album Of The Week: Jesse Dee's On My Mind / In My Heart

Soul is one of those genres that is so real and genuine that it hits you straight in the gut but aims to please. If you love soul, you have no choice but to live it and follow each song like it's your own personal creed. A musician who is the epitome of soul once you hear him sing and strum his guitar, Boston's Jesse Dee just came out with his second album On My Mind / In My Heart and it's as good as your grandma's apple pie. Sweet, delectable and guaranteed to give you more than your fill, Jesse's new album will make your heart jump and relate to anything that you're going through.

Jesse has a stellar resume from sharing the stage with the likes of Al Green, Solomon Burke, Etta James, Bettye Lavette, Los Lobos and fellow Bostonians The J. Geils Band, you'll know why once you press play and listen in to On My Mind / In My Heart. His backing band has a horn section that rhythmically jabs through every song like a prize fighter, drums that vary from being lighting fast to being light as a feather and keys that promise to tingle through your eardrums. Combine those qualities with Jesse's booming voice and passionate lyrics and you got the recipe for something special. Quite frankly, if you're not a fan of Jesse after you listen to any of his spectacular tunes then there is something obviously wrong with you.

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Here comes the final judgement, where the gavel crashes down as I tell you ever so loyal reader what my favorite tracks off of Jesse Dee's On My Mind / In My Heart are. By now you know that it's never easy for me to make these decisions, but then again that's why I write this piece of music journalism for your enjoyment. It's what you gotta do to educate the populace about the good stuff. Enough of my jibber jabber, here goes something:

"Sweet Tooth" is all about Jesse's love of candy but it can also be taken as a story of forbidden love, the song blasts through your speakers and you're bound to do the boogie woogie. "No Matter Where I Am" has that groove that'll make you cut a rug and do the jitterbug, the anthem for any person who is always there for the ones they love. "Stay Strong" gets that doo-wop style down pat with the horns resonating pure brilliance, all about going through the tough times and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. "From The Start" puts those keys at the forefront jingling away, a song about the ultimate rarity of two good friends falling in love. As you can tell, Jesse's songs can uplift you and make you feel good so you should give every track a listen.

Jesse will be celebrating the release of On My Mind / In My Heart this Saturday at Brighton Music Hall in Allston, MA on March 9th and then he'll be performing at The Iron Horse in Northampton, MA on March 13th and at Sullivan Hall in New York City on March 30th. Until Jesse rocks your neighborhood music venue, pick up a copy of On My Mind / In My Heart. It's the best soul music you'll ever hear, loud and clear.

- Rob Duguay