In 1998, singer/songwriter Vincent James founded an organization called the Philadelphia Songwriters Association (PSA), which gave songwriters in the Philly/Southern New Jersey area a chance to network and help each other out. Between his PSA activities and his solo career, James had a lot on his... [+] Expand

In 1998, singer/songwriter Vincent James founded an organization called the Philadelphia Songwriters Association (PSA), which gave songwriters in the Philly/Southern New Jersey area a chance to network and help each other out. Between his PSA activities and his solo career, James had a lot on his plate in the late 1990s. The Philadelphian's first album came in 1999, when Love Makes the World was released on the small DiPOP label. James' promising, if uneven, debut shows him to be a likable artist whose phrasing gives the impression that he's spent a lot of time listening to Neil Young. This isn't to say that James' lyrics or melodies are very Young-like -- his voice might have a Young-like quality, but he doesn't get into dark lyrics as easily as Young. In fact, Love Makes the World tends to have a very optimistic outlook, whether he's singing about love (the CD's main topic) or detouring into more socio-political territory. A few of the tunes have lyrics that are a little too sugary for their own good, especially "I'll Always Love You" and "Maybe She'll Be a Dancer." But more often than not, James knows how to be optimistic without being overly sugary. And cuts like "Standing in the Line of Love," "Y2K," and "Love Sick" show that he also knows how to provide catchy pop/rock hooks. Saying that James is optimistic isn't saying that he's a polyanna or that his lyrics can't be gritty; "Cry in the Night," arguably the best song on the CD, takes a sobering look at the lives of children who grow up surrounded by drugs, violence, and poverty. This is the one song on the album that lyrically probably would have fit in on Young's Freedom album. Love Makes the World isn't perfect, but it has more plusses than minuses -- and it makes the listener want to see how James develops. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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