Jonathan Wyndham: Middle Class & Infamous

The low rumble beat of “Make A Difference,” opens Jonathan Wyndham’s new Middle Class & Infamous. After spending his 20’s touring with & musical directing for artists like Colbie Caillat and Jessie James Decker, Wyndham is investing himself fully as an recording artist/guitarist/writer/vocalist with this ten-song release.

And he proves to be one of a sure singular style and sound.

Gibson-endorsed Wyndham surely shows off his guitar chops on the second tune, “Hook, Line & Sinker,” one of my favorites early on here, a great sexy blues rocker that gives the man real room to wail. He then gives us some sly slide playing on the ballad, “What Happened To Us,” showing he can really sing as well as play.

We even get the first of his expert acoustic playing on what might be the sweetest song here; Wyndham’s soft touch, his perfectly placed harmonies, the entire concoction of “Bad At Giving Up,”  will rise gooseflesh to be sure.

What’s interesting about Middle Class & Famous is the many moods we get here, through Wyndham pretty much mining the same subject…love. There’s ballads, almost MOR-like jazzy turns and then smokin’ rockers and swampy stomps…like near the end of the album with the fantastic “Secondhand Smoke.”

What a great rocker and another of my faves here.

“Numb” rolls with picked acoustic and single note touches and some more light touch vocals from Wyndham, it kind of wraps you in its echo and soft drumming, while he strums an acoustic, mines the full range of his express voice on “The Last Time.” This last tune brings clear not only the loss Wyndham feels in his ‘brother’ dying but reminds us all of the pain of losing somebody we love.

Calling the songs his “launching point,” Wyndham really does outfit himself expertly on Middle Class & Famous. A well-reasoned production, great guitar playing at every turn, a command of his voice and solid songwriting, it’s about time this man steps out far and wide.