The Best Albums You Probably Haven't Heard

Jerome Wincek & the Old Hats

The Revelator – EP 1

Independent

Jerome Wincek is one of my favorite artists. Created from acoustic guitars, primitive electronics, banjos, and gut buckets, his music is as raw as it is powerful. For me, it’s his voice that brings everything together though. It’s a voice that has truly lived life, a wise observer and a masterful storyteller that isn’t afraid to let his voice crack or go off key to convey his message. It’s the voice of the working class, the people struggling to get by and find happiness. While my favorite songs are on his album So Low (“Love is a Martyr” may be my favorite song ever in fact), it’s The Revelator EP’s that I feel are his most overwhelming works. Particularly EP 1, which sets the stage for the last man and woman on Earth and their journey together.

The Revelator is a series of three individual EP’s that tell the story of a man and a woman who meet after the “apocalypse/second coming/Jesus’ return/end of the world” or whatever other title you may choose to bestow upon it. This EP, the first in the series, tells the story of the man and woman meeting, their struggle to determine why they were left behind, whether or not they can trust each other, and what might be next.

To call this EP musically and lyrically intense would be a big understatement. For example, I might cite the haunting piano and kind of traditional Western meets Surf Rock style guitar work of “When Trouble Comes” or the mesmerizing drum loops and melodies in songs like “Another Sun” (my personal favorite track) and the absolutely brilliant “So The Lady” as ample evidence of what I’m talking about but it’s best if you just hear it for yourself and bask in its intensity. The EP’s final moment is the only arguable misstep. Entitled  “The Evil Hootenanny” it tries its damndest to blend Western Swing, Electronica, and Bluegrass but falls just shy of the mark as it never really comes together as a complete sounding piece. Despite that slight detour (and the fact that it was a valiant effort), the rest of this EP is flawless. Everything sounds new, fresh, and different yet strikingly traditional and familiar at the same time.

Jerome Wincek is probably one of the most honest sounding musicians you will ever hear. The rawness of his music and his keen ear for melodies are unlike any other artist I have ever heard (and as a music journalist for the last 18 years, I have literally heard thousands of artists). Don’t take my word for it though; go download it for free!

The Revelator EP 1 at: http://jeromewincek.bandcamp.com/album/the-revelator-part-1

Also check out his album So Low for free at: http://jeromewincek.bandcamp.com/album/so-low

Reviewed by Mark Fisher