“All Alone Without U” by Jack Pfeffer

Beyond the chaos and between the notes, Minneapolis’ Jack Pfeffer slows things down and eases his listener into his own version a pop love song. Sweet, drippy guitar riffs, warm vocals and a vibe that is oh-so-ready for the summer, the song “All Alone Without U” is an easy-to-like song from a talented young songwriter.

URL: https://www.jackpfeffer.com/

“I know you’re not good for me but I want you always, so, groove to me” Pfeffer sings. His modest vocals and his sense of self is assuring. Lyrically, he sticks to his comfort zone and doesn’t stretch too far into prose. I think it works here. Pfeffer grabs his lister with his charm. Something about his voice is vintage 70s adult contemporary. He has this swoon to him, this instant likability. The bright electric guitar arrangement seems to float above the grounded bass line. Against my better judgement I’m writing this, but at one point during the guitar I thought Pfeffer would strike the guitar chord and break into “all around the world statues crumble for me” a-la Sugar Ray. I know, I know, an unfair assumption. Truly, I did love the guitar work and Pfeffer’s skills are evident.

Besides the guitar work, I especially liked the pacing of “All Alone Without U”. It’s a cadence that is easy jive. It’s not rushed. As a listener I felt an intimacy, a strong connection with Pfeffer’s orchestration. I wasn’t feeling bombarded with sounds and over-produced tracks. The song is not entirely stripped down, it’s not straight acoustic, but it holds the ambiance and the feeling of a singer/songwriter singing in a coffee house. All eyes and ears are on Pfeffer; each note seems to linger until the next one starts. Pfeffer allows little time for a moment to breathe, and as he sings, his sincerity and honesty erupts. I think what was missing for me as a listener is that extra gusto, that zing. But, truly, it didn’t need to be that and I still felt like this song is captivating. What he lacks for in range, Pfeffer more than makes up for it in his easy-going style.

 

So, what’s the verdict on this song? “All Alone Without U” is a bright spot on a winter’s day. It’s definitely a worthy listen and while Pfeffer at times can be a little run-of-the-mill in his vocals sound, his guitar work is sleek and memorable. This track is one of those songs that grows on you, or you might listen to it randomly a week later and feel something completely different. It’s cozy. It’s a great introduction to a promising artist. Pfeffer has the artistic abilities to create something really powerful, chart that next big hit. I think he’s made valuable first steps with  “All Alone Without U”. He’s got the makings of something really special and this first track is just the beginning. Fans of pop music, folk music and singer/songwriter stylings will want to check out “All Alone Without U” and add it to their musical playlists.

Mindy McCall