Jimmy Marin

It’s always an exciting time discovering new music, as was the case when the debut CD by Jimmy Marin, titled ‘Something True’ arrived in the post box. I had heard some of Jimmy’s songs on JJJ unearthed one day when searching for new musicians and was captivated by his soulful vocals and arrangements, so I was very keen to get this disc spinning and see what this 11 track album has to offer.

Immediately the first thing that struck me on the recording was the production quality, being mixed by Anthony Stewart of Red Brick Music and mastered by Neville Clark at Disk Edits. Also of note is the effective CD artwork layout by Paperdoll Graphic Design, that has been producing some great work for a variety of SA based musicians.

This is a beautifully crafted body of work from start to finish. It showcases rich melodic vocals and musicianship covering the folk/contemporary/blues/Americana vibe, where every instrument sits perfectly within the mix and arrangements enhance the quality of the songs.

The initial standout track for me personally was ‘The Truth’; a funky track which has a really cool groove that builds as it progresses, though I am sure with a couple more listens, other tracks will soon become standouts on regular rotation.

“Something True” is an album that displays Marin’s accomplished song-writing and performance, and should find its way into the music collections of those who enjoy a rich acoustic soulful blues sound laced with melodic vocal harmonies.

4/5 Stars

Craig Atkins (Music SA)
- Music SA

Jimmy Marin
Something True
Top Rope Records

Strongly influenced by a combination of Mississippi juke joints and Australiana pub rock, Bordertown-hailing songwriter Jimmy Marin has produced something deeply soulful, candid and rhythmic in his debut album Something True.

Much of the album is built upon acoustic backbones, but there’s also the occasional injection of bass, electric guitar and harmonies. Recorded, produced and mixed entirely in SA, Something True is charmingly home-grown, as seen in some of the tracks.

Anybody Out There teams genuine questions about omnipresent apathy with what is a curiously upbeat melody whereas 2 People adopts a more southern, country-ish feel with lyrics: ‘two lost souls with a bottle of wine’. In fact, Marin seems to reference the plonk more than once in this record, Talking To Myself allowing listeners into Marin’s personal endeavours once tanked up on a bottle of red: ‘wasting my time drinking cheap red wine / talking to myself again’. The ballad-like Broken Window is another highlight, teaming tinny, organic acoustic guitar with simple backing noise, whereas Blues For You ups things a notch with harmonised ‘oohs’ and punchy guitar bridges.

I’d sit this album somewhere on the shelf between your Ben Harper, John Mayer or Pete Murray records or in the CD player while stopping over to get a pie at Bordertown. True blue, mate.

- Miranda Freeman
- Rip It Up Magazine

Jimmy Marin
Something True
Top Rope Records

South Australian singer/songwriter Jimmy Marin has released his debut album Something True through his independent label Top Rope Records.

A relaxed vibe permeates this 11-track release, kicking off with the song Fly Away, which sounds like the perfect accompaniment to a Sunday ‘sesh’ at the local.

Marin appears at home in the songwriter’s chair, observing life as it goes on around him.

The song Beautiful Stranger is full of longing, while 2 People is a cracker of a tune, almost The Waifs like in its composition, about being on the breadline, making decisions and drinking a bottle of wine (the variety of which is undefined, unlike in the next track Talking to Myself where a cheap red is the drink of choice for some internal navel gazing).

Easily accessible, Marin’s music is comfortable and cruisy, with the twin background influences of soul and blues twanging away.

This is a solid debut and Jimmy Marin has the potential to be very busy with bookings in its wake.

Where you might hear this: A yacht club on a relaxing weekend arvo, Sunday morning recovery music.

- Rob McLean
The Bunyip Editor
- The Bunyip Press

When I think of Bordertown, South Australia, a blend of acoustic soul and blues music doesn’t really come to mind. In saying that, this record by singer song-writer Jimmy Marin, ticks both boxes. Something True is full of rich melody and harmonies, and even if some of the material seems to be more suited to a Sunday night set at the pub around the corner, the bulk of this album shows signs of a matured sense of song-writing and arrangement, which deserves props on its own.

There’s some lovely Americana influences on the record, possibly best seen on “Talking to Myself” and “Spotlight”, the latter also showcasing Marin’s decent vocal range. Lyrically, there are some songs on Something True which come across as being quite run-of-the-mill. Like I mentioned before, there are some moments where I feel like the material would go down best as background music in your local (“Fly Away”, “2 People”); however, I know how popular the pub-rock scene still is, so I guess in some way, Marin ticks another box there.

“Long Way Back” and “The Truth” remain stand outs on the record for me, as they show Marin’s ability to dabble and switch from the softer, acoustic-dominant folk sound, to the catchy realms of bass-led blues rock. When your record bases itself largely on the soundscapes of American folk and chilled out blues, it can be hard to make your own impact shine through and be completely innovative. Marin shows on Something True that he knows his craft and his influences well and is on the right track in carving his own name and sound into this particular musical ether. For a debut record, Something True is a great effort; being Adelaide-based, I appreciate it when I see any local artist produce records that is clearly evident of a passionate and effort-filled process of song-writing and recording, considering the difficulty a lot of musicians can face down here in reaching that next level. It’s a good start for Marin, and I would like to see how this sound he’s got going develops.

Review Score: 7.0 out of 10

Sosefina Fuamoli
- AU Review

JIMMY MARIN – ‘Something True’
Top Rope Records (Independent)

Local singer-songwriter Jimmy Marin’s debut is a solo album in the truest sense of the word. Written, produced and almost entirely performed by Marin, his acoustic soul drips with the tender passion of an artist in complete control.

Based primarily in the blues, Marin’s songwriting is simple and direct. There are no convoluted metaphors here – simply a life-affirming desire to share the joy and passion of music. Opener Fly Away, for example, is instantly infectious in the vein of Ben Harper, daring you to be carried away atop Marin’s soaring alto.

Marin’s voice is his strongest asset and he uses it to great effect here. The songs are richly melodic and the pared-back instrumentation allows Marin to bring his voice to the forefront of the mix. Although the lyrics can occasionally tend towards being overly simplistic, the sheer joy in Marin’s voice redeems the songs from ever faltering too harshly.

After opening with two uplifting tracks, Marin settles into more introspective territory that dominates the first half of the album. The intimate tone shows the range of Marin’s voice, including a yearning head voice in Talking to Myself, whilst also delivering the most beautiful song at the centre of the album, Long Way Back.

2 People, Blues for You and the closing track, Whisper, show the strongest influence of the blues and Marin’s guitar chops are up to the job too, turning in some passionate solos that delicately wring the emotion out of each note, particularly on Whisper. Similarly, the harmonica on country-ish Broken Window makes for a refreshing change-up.

The fusion of genres here – folk, country, blues and soul – is quite subtle and Marin’s directness shows a “pop” sensibility, however he could afford to dig deeper into the nuances of these genres. But where ‘Something True’ threatens to lack variety, it more than makes up for it with quality performances and genuine passion.

Aaron Nash
- Db Magazine