At first encounter, Jared Campbell would seem an easy target for typecasting. With his impassioned vocals and melodies that take an easy, breezy sway, he fits the mold of a John Mayer, Jason Mraz or any of dozens young up and coming singer/songwriters staking their claims on the charts these days. Fortunately, familiarity doesn’t breed contempt, thanks to the emotional stakes Campbell invests in each of the ten tracks that comprise Beyond the Gray, his second full-length album and fourth outing overall. In some cases, the song titles tell all, but the poignancy imbued in each takes them well beyond their headings, from the gripping title track and the searing, biographical “House of Cards” to the twitchy “Teach Me to Love” and the heartfelt devotion that seeps through “My Queen.” In simpler settings – the all acoustic “Worth the Wait” and the spunky and yet telling “Everything to Gain” – Campbell also draws comparison to the troubadour types that are a fixture in so many coffeehouses and corner bars, but his good-natured delivery makes him more folksy than folkie. Consequently, while its banner implies a certain parting of the clouds, Beyond the Gray also suggests that sunnier days are on the way. (self-released 2008)
