Although Rich Jacques more recent songs have been of a very spacious and understated nature, Every Time reminds us that he excels equally at writing and arranging for a bigger sonic ensemble. This still has the effortless, smooth West Coast sound that runs through the DNA of his music but here it is constructed from a more layered approach, is driven by a more energetic beat and a more textured flow. But his ability to cut the sonic cloth perfectly is still on show and this lush offering does only what is necessary to make the song work, not showboating, no overplaying, no unnecessary complexities…just a deft and sometimes delicate slice of warm grooves.
It is interesting that the artist himself choses to lable this Yacht Rock, a term with a checkered and  misunderstood past, for that is exactly what it is. It gathers together the singer-songwriter nature of the 60’s cosmic folk scene, the jazz fusions and slick rock of the 70’s and the production values and slickness of the cream of 80’s pop. It does all of that, takes those myriad inspirations and delivers something that is very music a song for today but doesn’t hide the path it took to get here.
A song that sounds so warm yet so cool at the same time…now there’s a great trick if you can pull it off and Rich Jacques is one of the few who can.
