Jonathan Jeremiah is a dedicated man. His musical odyssey has taken him across the States in pursuit of his own musical American Dream. It’s also seen him working solidly for seven years to realise the dream of recording his songs with some of his musical heroes .

And now the dedication, the time spent, the miles covered and the money saved has all paid off with his E.P, What’s A Guy Go To Do?. To do this, this guy has surrounded himself with some big, big musical names: Questlove, Bernard Butler and James Brown’s band The JBs .

The songs are steeped in a rich musical history. The EP as a whole provides an intense 15 minute summary of some of the finest parts of pop music’s diverse history. Jonathan Jeremiah is as much paying tribute to some of the greatest artists of the twentieth century as he is looking to make his own mark in the twenty first.

This is all gorgeous, gorgeous stuff. Regardless of the soul searching found in the majority of the songs’ lyrics, there remains a delicate lightness of touch which lends a summery feel to the EP as a whole.

This is no more evident than in the title track. “What’s a Guy Go To Do?” has it all. It’s full of sumptuous strings and Bacharach brass. This song could easily have been produced at any point in the past 40 years. It immediately recalls some of soul’s greatest voices: Gil Scott-Heron and Marvin Gaye spring to mind most readily.

Elsewhere the arrangement of “See” is hugely evocative of Robert Kirby’s arrangements on label-mate Nick Drake’s Bryter Layter. Here Jeremiah’s voice reveals its rich, thick texture, gliding through a sea of gorgeous syncopation. Each listen brings with it new details previously unheard. It’s an intricate tapestry of sound and emotion.

There’s a beautiful, restrained sadness to this song - all about a man trying to come to terms with the end of a relationship. “See, it doesn’t bother me/because you never felt the same”. He’s not kidding anyone.

The sense of sadness continues with “Solitary Man” where Jeremiah opts again for the simplicity of a guitar accompaniment. The effect is just as beguiling as the singer produces a list of fine attributes (“Better the man who stands alone”) only to admit that he is not blessed with such gifts.

Finally, the live cover of Massive Attack’s “Protection” highlights Jeremiah’s vocal similarity with Scott Walker. Such observations are less accusations of a plagiarism of sound and style, but more an endorsement of the huge talents available to a highly talented and versatile individual.

In Jonathan Jeremiah’s hands, “Protection” takes on a new life. As with “Solitary Man” the backing is reduced to the barest of accompaniments - differing not just with the title track of the E.P., but also with the electronica of the original. The song is removed from the dinner party/chill out vibe of Massive Attack’s version into a more soulful world where “the force of the blow” of the lyrics is felt all the more keenly.

To take a song as good as this and to breathe new life into it takes some doing. But Jonathan Jeremiah has done just that. It’s yet another sign of the colossal talent found in the figure of this singer, songwriter and now re-arranger.

Each one of these songs is perfect. Absolutely faultless. Listen to these songs and you will be transfixed.

Overall rating: 10/10

Format: EP

Release date: 27 July 2009

Record Label: Island Records

Myspace: www.myspace.com/jonathanjeremiah

13/08/09 - First published on www.noizemakesenemies.co.uk on this link