Reviews

"James Deem is a straight-ahead jangle pop vocalist, guitarist and songwriter I had the pleasure of working with on this his first release, and man, oh man, this thing sounds fabulous!

James has been around for years doing gigs and honing his skills. He has a great voice and an ear for hooky melodies-which is pretty much what it's all about-I think. Listen to his new disc and see if you don't agree? It doesn't get much better than "It Stands to Reason" for me-in this world of mostly average-as-usual pop songs. This thing just jumps off the plastic! It's just like a new Producers, Rembrandts, or Del Amitri disc.

James, you should be really proud, this is a great pop record, and I'm proud to have my name on it too!"

~Jamie Hoover of The Spongetones
Produced and performed on James Deem's CD

"Classic!! Produced by Jamie Hoover, fans of Hoover's solo work and Spongetones will freak - as will fans of Bill Lloyd. Deem knows his way around writing songs that hit hard inside their gentle sway and jangle. Fans of such Not Lame faves as Brian Jay Cline, Robert Crenshaw, Walter Clevenger, Jeff Larson and Frank Barajas have further sign-posts for what's going on here. A panoply of cool, timeless sounds, brilliant, richly produced hooks, and a wall of Hollies-vocal sound, but half this material is dead-on for fans of Spongetones/Hoover, it's a joy to report.

What is so refreshing about "jamesdeem.com" is its never-ending unpretentious melody, spirited hooks which drive the entire CD from start to finish - a hard thing to pull off and Hoover keeps all the sounds grounded and sounding vibrant and fetching. Deem's angelic, high-register vocals, higher-reaching arrangements and rock-pop solid arrangements herald a new pop talent that we'll always cherish, you got it - Extremely Highly Recommended!"

~Bruce Brodeen
Not Lame Recordings

"James has presented the pop masses with one heck of a jangle and harmony-filled effort! Hints of The Gin Blossoms, The Spongetones (read on and you'll see why), The Rubinoos, Tommy James, Howard Jones, and Michael Slawter permeate these late 70's/early 80's, at times Brit-inspired proceedings! All good things for sure! Believe it, they're all in there! Expertly produced by the one and only popmeister Jamie Hoover who is also featured prominently throughout, tastefully adding both instrumental (guitars, bass, drums) and harmony vocal touches to the proceedings! A smashing and very impressive release for sure! EXCELLENT!!!!"

~Ray Gianchetti
Kool Kat Musik

"James Deem, true disciple of Jamie Hoover (Spongetones) and Ed James has released his debut album "jamesdeem.com" recently. The album starts out promising enough with the jangly "The Way She Loves Me." This is a great tune and it's followed by the excellent Spongetones-like "I Could Fall in Love" complete with an "Octopus Garden" styled guitar intro. "I'm Not Over You" is another song about love lost and my favorite on the album. It's his enthusiastic performance that wins me over on "I Hear Your Heart Calling" - a Rubinoos styled pop song. James has a bit of experience playing Billy Joel covers, and it shows in "The Dream" - a piano ballad with a passing nod to Ben Folds or Fountains of Wayne. Deem's guitar work is also not really a Merseybeat jangle style, but a bit of modern country as shown "On the Way to Paradise." Fans of Walter Clevenger and Bill Lloyd will appreciate this approach. The second half of the album contains alot of slower ballads, also well done. I must say he also knows how to promote himself well. You can listen to the entire album from his site."

~Aaron Kupferberg
Powerpopaholic.com

"The debut disc from this talented singer/songwriter/guitarist/keyboardist is an audio treat for fans of melodic pop and rock. An entire album of Deem's self-penned songs, this CD gives a tip of the hat to bands like the Beatles, The Smithereens and maybe even the Rembrandts, while still retaining its own identity.

Deem's strong sense of melody is especially evident in harmony-laden pop  confections such as "The Way She Loves Me", "I Could Fall In Love", "On The Way To Paradise" and "It Stands To Reason". The latter is a track that could have a real shot as a breakout radio single if given the right push. Other, more introspective tracks like the piano-driven "The Dream", as well as the acoustic ballad "Whether Today, Whether Tomorrow" demonstrate that James Deem is not just a songwriting one trick pony.

Producer Jamie Hoover (who also played some guitars, bass and drums) knows exactly how to showcase Deem's deceptively simple, but maddeningly catchy  tunes with just the right mix of acoustic and electric guitar textures, with an emphasis on harmony vocals that make the singalong choruses really sparkle. All in all, an auspicious debut from an artist to watch."

~Sterling Whitaker
Author, 'The Grand Delusion: The Unauthorized True Story of Styx'

~GaryPigGold.com

"Jaw on the floor time....so GOOD!"

~Craig Leve
Snap, Crackle, Pop!
KWVA 88.1 FM

"The pop/rock album offers Deem a chance to showcase his songwriting abilities, guitar skills and vocals. It's a solid songwriting debut."

~Jeff Hahne, Music Editor
Creative Loafing Charlotte