Micah Visser is a fairly new face in the local scene with a real knack for songwriting. Moon in a Jar marks his second release, following on the heels of his performance during Big Fun Festival and it shows plenty of promise for a local singer/songwriter on the rise.
Despite being rather slickly produced and recorded in a studio, the EP has a distinct “basement recording” vibe that only adds to its charm. Kicking off the album is the suitably stark and cold “First Snowfall (Part 1),” which leads into a second part that picks up the pace and sticks in your head. The rest of the EP follows suit, alternating between cutesy folk sing-song numbers and a few slower, melancholic numbers. “Poems” is a real highlight as it moves between the two moods with such ease. Sitting down for a full listen of the EP, I was instantly taken back to my days of attending open mic nights at Mondragon (RIP) or The Folk Exchange. That is to say, a little rough around the edges, endearingly simplistic and filled with a whole lot of heart.
Micah isn’t breaking new ground on this EP, but he doesn’t need to. He’s one guy with one guitar that’ll make you think of Bright Eyes or Winnipeg’s own John K. – and he does a damn good job of it. (Independent, micahvisser.bandcamp.com/) Seamus Hamilton-Pattison