Jamie Seerman brings color to the fall foliage as Jaymay on her debut full-length, Autumn Fallin’. The singer/songwriter came up through New York’s anti-folk scene (home of Nicole Atkins, Dawn Landes, and others), but found her place across the blue Atlantic in green England. Released in November 2007 in the U.K., now Autumn Fallin’ brings Seerman back across the pond to the birthplace of her indie-country style.
Autumn begins with admittedly its strongest track, ‘Gray Or Blue”, originally from her 2006 Sea Green, See Blue EP. Melodic and sweet, it’s also a little wry, as Seerman also shows a knowing side. However, she consistently mixes things up, never relying too heavily on one particular rhythm or style. The following “Sycamore Down” is sadder and slower, upping the harmony, but occasionally getting a little heavy, while the subsequent “Blue Skies” is a carrying, expansive piece of indie-country. Sea Green’s title track, also on Autumn, is more laid-back, a nice hum from a love-wise girl.
Seerman varies up her methods even more on the record’s second half, though not quite as excellently as the clever first side. “You’d Rather Run” is an interesting carnival-like procession, but goes on for nearly ten minutes. “Hard To Say” is a cute, almost skat-like ditty, while “Big Ben” is slow and choral. Seerman is more of a straight-up country-female singer/songwriter on “Ill Willed Person”, though can get a bit treacly, but caps Autumn off nicely with the quiet, stripped, sing-along, “You Are The Only One I Love”.
This isn’t the first time Jamie Seerman’s music has made it back over to the States – “Sea Green, See Blue” was featured on the Season Two finale of NYC-set How I Met Your Mother. But after spending the fall in Great Britain, she looks to enjoy the spring in America.
