Review Text
It's interesting that the first solo album from world class drummer Darren Jesse has no drums on it. Arrangements on the album are pared down to nothing more than acoustic guitar, a few spare keyboard hooks, piano, strings, and Jessee's expressive vocals. Best known as the drummer for the Ben Folds Five (he co-wrote "Brick"), Darren Jessee has released four albums under the name Hotel Lights. He's also an in-demand drummer touring for a number of years with Sharon Van Etten and more recently as a member of Durham NC based Hiss Golden Messenger. In 2017, Jessee contributed to The War on Drugs' A Deeper Understanding which won the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. The album is dreamy and intimate, it evokes late night drives, low lights, and longing. Quietly devastating, The Jane, Room 217 is a personal exploration of heartbreak and romance - made all the more powerful by it's clear-eyed restraint.
