Sometimes it’s just the feeling that hits you in the beginning. Your mind quickly becomes the judge and the jury. And it takes no time to give a verdict. “Is this good?” you ask yourself. Rarely do you conclude “maybe.” A yes or no comes almost without you knowing. Sometimes you change your mind later, but many times the first feeling, that first moment, is the indicator. First impressions are not everything, but they sure are important. I like to think they are the minutes of small talk before a meaningful conversation. Without them its hard to find a way to the bottom of things.

I think I like Tyler James’ new record “It Took The Fire.” There I said it. That’s my first impression at least. I’ve only listened to the record all the way through once, but I have a feeling though that it won’t be the last. There is something there I can’t put my finger on. Maybe its the strings or the melodies or Tyler’s silky voice reminding me at times of Jump (Little Children) and at other times of Nashville singer/songwriter, David Mead. Tyler is from Nashville as well and has been a part of the successful Ten Out of Ten (TOT) Tour the last couple years.

Or maybe it’s just the organ. There is tons of organ on this record. The kind that has keys and the other kind; the kind that beats and pumps blood through the body and keeps us all alive. Mr. James has some heart. That’s what I love about his voice. There is heart on his lips and it comes out in a variety of ways. He brings the R&B; on the opening track “All I got” and then on “A Sailor’s Tune” he becomes a piano crooner. Isn’t that what we’re all looking for in music? Don’t we just want to hear what we already hear inside our own souls? Tyler seems to have a way of writing songs with this common melody of mankind in mind.

This is indeed a first impression, but more like the first fruits of a lasting impression. The title track “It Took The Fire” will probably be with me for a lifetime especially the words of the chorus:

It took the fire to save my soul
It took the fire to change me
Glory shone and the ashes blowing away

Darn right, Mr. James! All it took was the fire of one listen.