July 21, 2020 | Writer: Eric Reyes

Readers familiar with my reviews will know my love-hate relationship with Pop. Crowded, bland, predictable. But every once in a while, standout personalities and talents break through that miasma of forgettability and leave an impression. 

Jon Davis came shooting up out of the murk with his fun, spritely track ‘Goodbye’ and I’m here for it. All of it. 

His voice has a wonderful range and tone, never sacrificing the unique qualities of his individual voice for the sake of the backing mix or limited instrumentals. His touch, his flair, is the main attraction. His track doesn’t crowd itself out with distortions and pseudo-EDM pulses to make up for time. He stews together the diverse elements of modern pop, from borrowed electric guitar to flute trills and saxophone blares that are all so clever and minimalist that they are like punctuations, like commas and periods that help break up the overall structure of the central vocal performance. 

His attitude is loud, proud, and distinct. This is Jon Davis’ music, and Jon Davis’ voice, the pop is just there by his good graces to share the stage.