On its surface, Jared Weintraub’s music is accessible, relaxed, and bright-eyed, a collection of anthems for barefoot summers, young romances, and carefree attitudes. To be sure, his debut EP, Full Band (released September 15th, 2012), is easy on the ears and can be played again and again without losing its appeal to the casual listener. But for those who take the time to digest Jared’s music, the young artist displays creativity, soul, and natural talent typical of a musician far beyond his years. 

Originally an acoustic artist, the EP is Jared’s latest experiment with full band performances. Throughout the EP, his soulful vocals, insightful lyrics, and soothing, positive style beg comparison to John Mayer, Ray Lamontagne, Bob Dylan, Dispatch, and The Beatles. His EP also showcases stirring melodies, accenting airy rhythms with electric guitar flourishes and showing off a range of musical styles from rock to folk to reggae.

From “Angel/Devil” and “Why Won’t it Rain,” instant classics in which his laid-back style gives way to awe-stricken love, to “Positivity,” a reggae-tinted testament to the optimistic outlook he carries in his day-to-day life, the Full Band EP is an easy, feel-good listen time and time again. Before it can be reduced to nonchalant beach tunes, though, the EP expands its horizons with “Stand Up,” a call to attention for this generation to open its eyes and take action to change a world that often seems out of our control. The result is a catchy, understandable, fun, and thoughtful recording that leaves the listener with the sense that Weintraub has much more in store. 

Born in the suburbs of New York City, Jared began a precocious musical career when, at the ripe age of 12, he picked up the guitar and taught himself to play in order to support his love of singing. At 14, he was playing solo shows in Manhattan. By 2009, he had recorded his first single, “Why Won’t it Rain,” at Art “Ski” Halperin’s Top of the World Studios(www.topoftheworldstudios.com) in New York. After graduating from the University of Delaware, Weintraub and his collegiate acapella group, The Deltones, made it to the top 10 on the NBC reality show, “The Sing Off.” Jared has played to audiences in excess of 5,000 people, opened for James Maddock at New York’s historic Towne Crier Café, and maintains a loyal fan base that grows every day.

The EP, recorded at Top of the World Studios, debuted on September 15th, and was celebrated with a release party at the legendary Bitter End in Manhattan (proud home of some of the earliest performances of Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, and many more). The EP is available on iTunes and all other major digital music distributors.

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